WHITEWOOD S.D. – Hop onto your bike or into your classic car (or any vehicle) and cruise through the beautiful Black Hills in the 2nd annual Ride for Raptors Ride and Poker Run benefiting the Black Hills Raptor Center.
Registration for the fundraiser set for Saturday, July 6, 2024, begins at 10AM at the Iron Horse Inn in Whitewood. Breakfast pizzas will be available. Sign up to participate in the poker hand ($10 a hand), bid on silent auction items, and buy 50/50 raffle tickets, before heading out at 11am for a day of touring.
The ride ends at the Iron Horse Inn. Food and beverages will be available.
Organizer Michelle Truth says there is a big need for the center’s services.
“Out here in the Black Hills, there is a lot of hunting. The problem we see is that a lot of ammunition contains lead. Eagles are attracted to entrails left behind from a hunt and contract lead poisoning.” She continued, “Birds are also hit my cars, or don’t get enough feed to migrate and end up downed. A lot of times landowners or police contact us to retrieve birds and determine if it can be rehabilitated or humanely euthanized.”
The poker hand will be drawn at 4:30pm and prizes for best and worst hand will also be given. Bidding will remain open for a brief time for silent auction items. Participants also have the opportunity to have photos taken with a raptor for a $10 fee. A short raptor program is also a part of the late afternoon events.
There is no advance registration. Donations requested to offset costs are $10 for the bike driver, $5 for a passenger, and passenger vehicle with three or more occupants, $20.
All proceeds raised will help construct the Treatment Center at the Black Hills Raptor Center.
List of Stops: (subject to change)
* St. Onge Bar, St. Onge
* Crow Peak Brewery/the Bee’s Knees in Spearfish
* Fish & Fry Campground, Hwy 385
* Big Mama’s in Nemo
Truth touched on the organization’s mission.
“We assist with any injured or downed birds. We have a few birds in our care continually because they can’t be returned to the wild. As a non-profit organization, we operate under the auspices of South Dakota Game Fish & Parks. They also allow for birds to be used in our educational programs.”
For more information, go online to the Black Hills Raptor Center and also see them on Facebook.
