Biker Veterans Rally in Support of Texas Vets and Families Impacted by Texas Flooding

The morning of Saturday, August 23rd, the Special Forces Brotherhood Motorcycle Club, A.P. Hill Chapter, in concert with The Desert Knights of America Motorcycle Club, and friends, hit the road in a fundraising event for U.S. Military Veterans whose lives and families have been negatively impacted, many severely, by the recent Texas flooding in Kerr County.

Registration and launch point for the Shenandoah Valley-based event was 10 a.m. to 11 a.m. at the Chester Street Tavern in Front Royal, with stops at involved locations the Dark Horse Pub in Flint Hill, Veditz Brewery and Pen Druid Brewery, both in Sperryville, with the final destination Cooter’s in Luray.

Add for the Aug. 23, veterans-supporting Texas Flood Relief ‘Poker Run’ with logistical details. – Royal Examiner Photos Roger Bianchini unless otherwise noted

With a heads-up from Able Forces Foundation veterans’ assistance Founder “Skip” Rogers, this reporter visited the Tavern during the 10 a.m. to 11 a.m. registration and briefing of participants on the route and kinds of road and parking conditions they would encounter.

We asked Rogers about the impetus of the event: “I was approached by Chapter President Jimbo and Army SFC Prather to participate in a charity Poker Run with proceeds to go to our brother and sister veterans and families affected by the terrible floods that have devastated Kerrville and Kerr County in Texas. The Special Forces Brotherhood Motorcycle Club and Able Forces have worked together in the past, and we look forward to working with these special forces heroes in the future,” Rogers told us.

Prepping for the event, from left, seated, is A.P. Hill Chapter Club Secretary Ed, standing behind and to the right are Tavern owner Jim Justice, Able Forces ‘Skip’ Rogers, and A.P. Hill Chapter President ‘Jimbo’. Below, Veterans Counselor ‘Kat’ adds to the event overview, and standing at the edge of the stage is USA SFC Duane Prather.

As pictured below, the planned staggered start sent the first group of bikers on the road out of downtown Front Royal around 11 a.m. Here’s to those Riders, their clubs, participating venues, and all their commitments to assisting struggling military veterans throughout life and across the country.

The first phase of the staggered ‘Poker Run’ started by launching riders to five Valley destinations right around 11 a.m. as planned.

And organizers shared information from the Poker Run’s end when they got to socialize with ‘Daisy Duke’ of ‘The Dukes of Hazzard’ fame at Cooter’s in Luray.