Poker ride to raise money for East Franklin Grange roof
Claude Barnes, vice president of East Franklin Grange, points to a bird nest that sits in one of the many holes in the building’s roof. Members of the grange at 2262 Smith Creek Road in Franklin Township are trying to raise $27,000 to put a new roof on the building.
The roof on the East Franklin Grange building has holes, leaks and rot. building
WAYNESBURG – Greene County’s Rattlers Motorcycle Club is teaming up with the East Franklin Grange to fundraise to build a new roof for the grange.
Bonnie Smouse, president of the grange, said it’s been more than 20 years since the building at 2262 Smith Creek Road in Franklin Township has had any roof repairs. Parts of it are rotten and leaking, and other parts have holes big enough for bird nests and large beehives.
“It is leaking, and that’s what we’re concerned about,” she said. “Water is running down, and we’re afraid for the electrical for the porch lights.”
Claude Barnes, vice president of the grange, said the cost to repair the roof will probably be around $27,000, most of which they had hoped to receive as a donation from Alpha Natural Resources. But that plan changed when Alpha declared bankruptcy last year.
“Once you’ve got it in your head that you’re going to give up, you’re going to give up,” Barnes said. “But we don’t have that in our heads yet because where will the Boy Scouts go, or the Girls Scouts? We’re there for a reason.”
To help raise money, the motorcyclists with the Rattlers Motorcycle Club will have a poker bike run, with registration at 9 a.m. and kickstands up at 11 a.m. Aug. 13 in the parking lot of Tommy Boy’s Tavern, 120 Bill George Drive in Morrisville. The ride will be held rain or shine, and is open to the public.
For $20, bikers can join the 70-mile ride to five different stops across Greene, Washington and Fayette counties, said John Vedis, the club’s leader.
For an additional $5, riders can pick up a playing card at each stop, and whoever has the best poker hand at the end of the ride wins half the pot. The rest will go to help pay for the roof.
“I think it’s fantastic that they’re able to help us out, although you won’t see me on a motorcycle,” Smouse joked.
Vedis said the group of bikers, which has been around since 2009, often holds fundraisers in the community and was happy to help out with this one.
“The whole purpose of our club is to raise money for Christmas toys for kids but we do other fundraisers to help the community,” he said. “A lot of guys like to go out just for the ride and to participate.”
The ride will finish at the Grange, where there will be a spaghetti dinner and 50/50 raffle to help raise money.