News-Info-Alerts

Re: Rally For Remembrance

To: ALL

From: Andi Wolos & Bob Necci

(POW-MIA InterNetwork)

Date: June 18, 2002

"Road Dogs rally for annual POW/MIA benefit
By Margie Cady/Winona Daily News

BLUFF SIDING, Wis. - The Road Dogs hopped back on their motorcycles Sunday afternoon after a successful weekend fund-raiser.

Somewhere between 1,000 and 1,200 people showed up for the Road Dogs' 14th annual POW/MIA benefit, held in the fields of the Gin Mill Dance Club, said Pat McKeeth, vice president of the Road Dogs motorcycle club. The three-day event began Friday, attracting revelers from throughout the Wisconsin/Minnesota area.

Because the final numbers haven't been totaled, it's not known yet how much money was raised, McKeeth said. But the event was successful.

The Road Dogs sold out about 1,000 advance tickets at $20 each, McKeeth said. Tickets at the gate sold for $25. The event tickets came with free beer and soda.

"We did about what we expected," McKeeth said of the crowd numbers. While some past benefits have drawn larger crowds, there also were bigger bands.

Still, this year's bands were great, McKeeth said. Revelers partied to the sounds of Marshall Star, Madison County, Tuck Pence and the Bobby Friss Band.

Adult entertainment was held at the Gin Mill bar, which hosted the event with the Road Dogs. This included a wet T-shirt contest. Some people who had driven in to go to the bar ended up joining the festivities.

The bikers had good weather for the weekend. While most people slept in tents, others had campers.

"We got a lot of positive feedback on the POW/MIA benefit," McKeeth said. "A lot of locals supported it."

This support included weekend breakfasts cooked by Little League parents.

Although it was run by the Road Dogs, bikers from other clubs participated, McKeeth said. "We (also) go to other fund-raisers all the time."

As with the previous fund-raisers, this year's was a trouble-free event.

"Everybody was just great up here," McKeeth said. "Nobody raised any problems."

The Road Dogs have supported many charities, McKeeth said. These include the Buffalo County Food Shelf, Veterans Memorial Park in Winona and Toys for Tots.

About half the club members are military veterans. This is one reason the club continues the POW/MIA event, remembering the Vietnam War's unaccounted soldiers.

By early Sunday afternoon, most of the bikers were gone. The remains of a charred motorcycle smoldered from a midnight bike burn.

Held at midnight Saturday, the annual burn involves placing a foreign-made motorcycle atop a pyre of wood.

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