ALTA W.Va. (WVDN) – On Saturday, September 6, the Patriots Motorcycle Club will host their 9th annual ‘Ride to Give’ poker run. This year, the event will be held in memory of Paul and Lindsey Raines.
Every year, Raines held a memorial scholarship poker run on the first Saturday following Labor Day in memory of his daughter, Lindsey. After Paul’s passing in January 2025, the Patriots voted to hold their event on the same day this year in honor of their late friend and his daughter. “Paul was a big part of the Patriots,” says Bob Johnson, Patriots Motorcycle Club President. “He and his wife, Vicky, are just outstanding people, and it’s an honor for us to be able to do this on that day. This year, Vicky asked if we’d like to have our ride on that day from now on, and we voted yes.”
The Patriots Motorcycle Club’s ‘Ride to Give’ poker run is open to all vehicles, not just motorcycles. The group will meet and take a scenic road trip before ending the day with a cookout. “We make all our stops at convenience stores to help local communities,” says Johnson. “The ride is family-oriented, and all of our money goes to help the local community.”
Registration will be from 9-11 a.m. at The Meeting Place in Alta, West Virginia. The cost is $25 per rider, which will include a poker hand and a ‘Ride to Give’ t-shirt. For an additional hand, the cost is $10 and for an extra shirt, the cost is $15. Patriots Motorcycle Club poker chips will also be given out with each poker hand.
Participants will begin this year’s journey from The Meeting Place toward Snowshoe by way of Route 219. From there, riders will travel Route 66 to Cass and back to Route 92 before heading to White Sulphur Springs, where the ride will conclude at the Greenbrier State Forest picnic shelter with hot dogs and prizes. Last bike in is at 4 p.m.
The cookout for this year’s ride will be provided by the AgriStars 4-H club, which will be accepting donations for those who wish to contribute.
The ‘Ride to Give’ poker run and other events held throughout the year directly benefit the Patriots Motorcycle Club Christmas and scholarship funds. Each year, the Patriots deliver Christmas presents to families in need and also award scholarships to local students. “We give away four $500 scholarships to Greenbrier East and four to Greenbrier West,” Bob Johnson said. “We gave two scholarships to James Monroe, but starting next year we will be awarding four to those students as well.”
For more information on this event or to stay updated on future club announcements, you can follow the Patriots Motorcycle Club on social media at Facebook.com/patriotmc2016.
