A good cause and lots of fun combined with remarkable August weather made the 6th annual Ride for the Veterans Poker Run the greatest success yet.
The Elks Lodge 513 had 217 riders sign up for the 115-mile ride, which stopped in Linn, Chamois, Hermann and Mokane.
The sole fundraiser for their year-round, veterans' support projects, the run has yielded up to $10,000 in the past.
Most recently, terminal veterans at the Harry S Truman Memorial Veterans Hospital, Columbia, received a replacement popcorn machine - one larger and prettier than even what the lodge has, said member Eileen Scrivner.
Volunteers from the lodge visit patients monthly, bringing fresh food and hosting bingo. In good weather, local Elks chaperone small groups of patients to the casino in Boonville.
For Flag Day and Veterans Day, patients are shuttled to the local lodge for meals and patriotic events. And the membership serves a turkey dinner free to veterans for Veterans Day.
As special needs arise, the local club pitches in, such as donating to the building project for wounded U.S. Marine Tyler Huffman or helping build the Mexico Missouri Veterans Home.
Lodge 513 has sponsored nine veterans on the Central Missouri Honor Flight and they consistently send care packages to deployed soldiers.
Nationally, support of veterans and active-duty military is a top priority. At 11 p.m., wherever Elks members are or whatever they are doing, they stop for a moment of silent remembrance of service members and late Elk members.
"It's the most amazing thing," said member Linda Adrian.
The Elks organization is rooted in faith and patriotism, she said.
"Elks like to have fun, but we have real serious causes we're dedicated to, too," Scrivner said.
The poker run brings in participants who also respond to the patriotic call; many are veterans themselves. And they all enjoy a chance to hit the road either on their motorcycles, or in their favorite vehicle.
Danny and Joy Patterson cruised in their 1972 Buick Skylark.
"I didn't want to waste a beautiful day working in my yard," said Patterson, who has several veterans in his family. "We wanted to go out and have fun."
In the all-day affair, riders return in the evening for barbecue and a live auction at the lodge.
The meeting room and deck were lined with luminaries in memory or in honor of riders' service members. And a 100-slide presentation shared photos and backgrounds about Elks members or their loved ones in service.
"Most bikers are patriotic," said Jeff Volmert, an Elks member, run participant and veteran. "It's something we do that's fun and it pays these guys back; we owe them our freedom."