Fifty-four motorcycle riders participated in the 7th annual Guide Dogs Dash Aug. 25, sponsored by Machinists Lodge 63 and IAM District W24.
This year’s event was re-named the Richard Martin Memorial Guide Dog Dash in remembrance of the long-time union Machinist who died last year following a long battle with cancer.
Participants raised $4,000 for Guide Dogs of America. Guide Dogs was founded by the International Association of Machinists in 1948 in Sylmar, California, to provide guide dogs free of charge to the blind community. The organization depends solely on voluntary donations, bequests, and fundraising events, such as the motorcycle poker run. Four “guide dogs in training” were on display at the poker run, including Jilly (pictured below), a one-year-old black lab.
The poker run consisted of a 132-mile motorcycle ride which started at the IBEW Local 48 union hall in Northeast Portland and ended at Lewisville Park outside of Battle Ground, Washington. In between, riders made stops to draw playing cards for their poker hands. The stops were at the Chevron Station at North Bonneville, the Wind River Inn 12 miles away in Carson, Washington, Couger Store in Cougar, Washington, and Nick’s Bar & Grill in Amboy, Washington.
Afterwards, riders enjoyed a barbecue, drawings for prizes, and music by the band “Second Player Score.”
Poker run winners were Carol Misfeldt, with a full house of jacks over fives, and Chris Halford, with a lower full house of sevens over tens. The low hand went to Jon Anderson with a pair of twos.
