Albion Elks Riders go on 110-mile trip to raise money for veterans

Lodge in Albion hosts event with bands, raffle baskets and food

Photo by Tom Rivers: This banner welcomes the public to the Veterans Memorial Run, a 110-mile bike ride on Saturday that started and ended at the lodge at 428 West State St.

ALBION – The Albion Elks Lodge held a 110-mile ride on Saturday and they hosted an event at the lodge in a fundraiser for local veterans.

This was a first-time event and the lodge wants to do it the second Saturday every year. There were 17 bikes and three cars on the 110-mile trip.

Richard Robb, president of the Elks Riders in Albion, said the group will ensure the money goes to local veterans.

Photo courtesy of Richard Robb: The riders made three stops on the 110-mile trip on Saturday. Here they are shown at the Holley VFW. They also stopped at Maxwell Station in Olcott and The Grove 1848 in Kendall.

For many years the Elks Riders did a dice run as a fundraiser for the Jason Johnston scholarship. Johnson was killed by a roadside bomb in Afghanistan on Dec. 26, 2009. Johnston was a specialist and paratrooper in the Army. He was on his second tour in Afghanistan. He completed a 13-month-deployment in 2008 and left again for the war-torn country in October 2009.

His scholarship has more than $50,000 raised, Robb said. The $1,000 annual memorial scholarship that goes to a student pursuing a career in a helping profession, such as a nurse, doctor, firefighter, counselor or other social services.

With the scholarship well funded for many years to come, the Elk Riders decided they wanted to use the annual ride and fundraising event to go towards veterans in the community.

Photos by Tom Rivers: Todd Dawley, left, and Jeff Mosher worked the grill on a very hot day with temperatures near 90. The Elks recently upgraded that grill area making it enclosed in the back. The lodge also added a new fence and made other landscaping improvements to the property.

Nick Salvatore, lead singer of Salvatore, sings “Hard to Handle” by the Black Crowes. Salvatore followed the band, Bad Luck.

There were about 30 baskets and 25 gift cards up for raffle at the pavilion of the lodge.