Gray Riders to host dice run to benefit E-PAL

The event scheduled for Aug. 18is the biggest fundraiser of the year for E-PAL and provides its center with substantial funding.

For the fifth year in a row the Eastlake Police Activities League will be the beneficiary of the Gray Riders Motorcycle Association’s annual charity dice run.

The event scheduled for Aug. 18 is the biggest fundraiser of the year for EPAL and provides its center with substantial funding for programs.

The event which will be held rain or shine is open to the general public and starts with a breakfast and registration at 9 a.m. at the E-PAL Center located 600 E. 349th St.

The cost to participate is $15 per car or bike and $5 for each additional passenger.

Those who purchase tickets for the dice run will automatically be entered into a drawing for the chance to win a wheelbarrow of liquor. Each member of the motorcycle association is required to donate a bottle of liquor to fill the wheelbarrow. It’s anticipated that there will be approximately 30-35 bottles this year according to Gray Riders president George Hoyt.

Hoyt notes that he has seen people buy tickets who don’t ride just to get in on the drawing.

Participating in the dice run is not required to attend the event as there will be a variety of other activities and opportunities to win prizes.

There will also be live music, food, a 50/50 raffle, a raffle for a “Route 66 desk” being handmade with items from the legendary road for the event and a bike raffle.

The 2018 Harley Davidson 883 Iron with a retail value of about $12,000, is furnished at cost by Western Reserve Harley Davidson of Mentor. Tickets are $10 each and the winner has their choice of the bike which has an upgrade option for $1,000 or they can take $4,000 cash.

“We are a little slow on the ticket sales for the bike raffle this year,” Hoyt said. “We need to sell 2,000 each year. We currently have about 1,300 tickets left. We are pushing to get them out there now.”

Hoyt attributes the lower ticket sales to the weather hampering appearances at outside events that they would normally be present at to sell tickets.

“We are getting some help just because of the kids,” Hoyt said. “It’s getting wild and crazy. It’s funny how for the little town of Eastlake people all around the country are buying tickets now. That’s kind of exciting for us.”

Hoyt points out that people don’t tend to think that buying one ticket could make that much of a difference but, if just half the residents of Eastlake would purchase just one $10 that would put the fundraiser so much over the top of their goal and provide a lot of help to E-PAL

“We’ve got people who have no idea about Eastlake, but they hear the word ‘kids’ and start sending help from Texas or the United Kingdom, he said. “Now I’m hoping people in Eastlake, Mentor, Willoughby and Willowick will step up. With all the craziness in this world we need to do something to give these kids some activities to keep them occupied and keep them out of trouble and give them something to do.”

The event will also feature a Chinese auction.

The association which raised a little over $20,000 with last year’s auction is shooting for more this year. The 2017 auction items had a combined retail value of approximate $15,000 in donated items.

This year’s auction will include a couple of TVs, an autograph football from the Cleveland Browns, an autograph baseball from the Cleveland Indians, gift basket from the Cleveland Cavaliers containing a shirt, a hat and a carry all bag.

According to Hoyt there are more items coming in and it’s one of the biggest Chinese Auctions he has seen in this area.

The association will welcome any donation for the event and is willing to pick up donations or drop off purchased tickets.

Hoyt says it’s overwhelming the amount of participation from the smaller businesses they are seeing. That even when business is slow they still want to be a contributor to the event.

Hoyt pointed out that E-PAL doesn’t have money regularly flowing in and they run on a shoestring budget.

“If money gets tight things for kids get eliminated,” Hoyt said. “Bikers live for charity runs and these guys love that it goes to a local organization. We know every penny we raise go right there to E-PAL and we don’t have to worry about anybody else taking a share of it.”

“Bikers live for charity runs and these guys love that it goes to a local organization. We know every penny we raise go right there to E-PAL and we don’t have to worry about anybody else taking a share of it.” — Gray Riders president George Hoyt

For those wanting additional information on the event, or wanting to make a donation or purchase tickets, contact Luann Hoyt at 440655-8116, George Hoyt at 440-655-9274, Kim Evers at E-PAL at 440954-3725. Additional information and updates can also be found on the event’s facebook page.