Poker run means fun, fundraising

Suzanne Johnson and Monte Gossard stood on 2nd Avenue in downtown Havre Saturday morning in the midst of more than 50 parked motorcycles, chatting with friends.

The street was blocked off so Eagle Riders could organize its annual poker run for the benefit of the Montana Wounded Warrior program. The motorcyclists were headed out to Fort Benton, Chester, Inverness, Hingham and back to Havre for a barbecue and a dance.

Brady residents Johnson and Gossard, who were two of 97 bikers in the poker run, know a lot about such events.

Devoted motorcyclists, they spend most of their summer weekends going from one to poker run another around the state. They looked ahead to their summers. A ride against cancer one weekend, against heart disease another weekend and so on.

The Wounder Warrior project is particularly important to the couple.

"The only problem today is that there aren't 500 bikes here," Gossard said. He looked down 1st Street. We could have bikes parked up and down this block too,"

Taking part in poker runs is a great way to combine fundraising with their hobby, they said.

They would be going on a lot more fundraisers this year except they are taking time out to travel across country to visit friends and relatives. They plan a trip to Illinois to Florida to Arizona and back to Montana.

In the back seat of their motorcycles, are Harley and Widget, two tiny puppies that fit perfectly in the back seat.

Harley wears a pair of dark sunglasses to protect his eyes from the sunshine.

The dogs enjoy the ride, Gossard said.The only problem is when nature calls.

"At home we have a little doggie door," he said. "They go in and out without bothering us.

"But on the bikes, they sure let us know when they have to go," he said.

The poker run this year, for Wounded Warriors, was the most successful in the three-year history of the event.

Eagle Riders President Brian Carpenter said 95 took part in the program, up from 57 last year.

"Last year, we raised about $3,200," he said. "This year we will be able to write a check for about $7,000.

"We had a lot of support from the community," he said.

First-place winner was Marvis Bender, who took home $200 - or at least he could have. He donated the winnings back to the Montana Wounded Warriors.

Lea Wittekind won the low-hand contest. Two American flags that were displayed during the run were auctioned off, raising $500.

The winners donated the money back to the cause, Carpenter said.

Brady Olsen flew the flags on his Wounder Warrior truck,

Lance Zuelke won the 50-50 raffle. He donated the $350 winnings to the cause.

Keith Eldridge of Fivehead sold burrito breakfasts for the participants, he said. He donated the money back to the Montana Wounder Warriors.