Motorcycle riders hit the highway for a good cause
Club members ‘give heart and soul’ to raise funds for therapeutic riding centre
The cavalry rode in on iron horses in an impressive show of support for their flesh and blood equine brothers.
Some 150 members of the Iron Horse Motorcycle Club cruised around the county Sunday in the seventh annual Hogs for Horses fundraising ride that benefits the Windsor-Essex Therapeutic Riding Centre in McGregor.
“These guys give us absolutely incredible community support,” said Becky Mills, WETRA’s executive director.
“They give their heart and soul to this event and don’t ask for anything. We depend on this event every year. It allows us not to burn out from fundraising so we’re able to provide our service with fresh minds.”
WETRA offers equine related therapy to community members living with mental or physical disabilities.
Through the years, the Iron Horse Motorcycle Club has raised more than $70,000 for WETRA. Last year’s ride raised $18,000. It all started with a raffle for a collector’s edition pool cue. Ken St. Amand ran the raffle and the proceeds allowed WETRA to purchase another horse in replacement of one that had recently died.
St. Amand worked with people associated with WETRA at General Motors. In 2010, he asked his friends in the Iron Horse Motorcycle Club to help out with a fundraising ride.
They had 35 riders the first year and double that the next.
“It kind of mushroomed from there,” St. Amand said. “It just gets better every year.” Riders gathered at WETRA’s facility on North Malden Road and then embarked on a tour that included stops at the Amherstburg Legion, Colchester Bar and Grill, Stoney Point Sportsman Club and finally Good Time Charly’s for dinner.
“We’re absolutely thrilled to do it for them,” said ride organizer Kevin Telfer.
“The dinner at Charly’s is like our wrap-up party.”
Throughout the year, the club does weekly 50-50 draws at Charly’s that also benefit WETRA’s programming.
“We like supporting a small local charity,” said club president Stacy King. “This is local and it involves children.”