Local fundraiser gives to Northwest Montana veteran's food bank

Fundraising in the memory of friends allowed a substantial donation to go to the Northwest Montana Veterans Food Bank, right before Thanksgiving.

Last week Allen and Linda Erickson loaded up turkeys, hams, pies and tons of other food at Harvest Foods in Bigfork.

The donation was made with funds from the annual Hogdick and Mitch Poker Run for the Vets.

The Poker Run was started in memory of Richard “Hog Dick” Fliehler and Mitchell Kopczyk who died in a motor vehicle accident in May 2009. The men were members of the Montana Legends and lovers of motorcycles. Fliehler was an Army Veteran who had a passion for helping out other veterans.

To commemorate Fliehler and Mitch their friend and fellow Montana Legend John Pettigrew of Fernale decided a poker run to benefit veterans would be a good way to honor their memory.

“I just decided to keep his legacy going, and he always helped the veterans,” Pettigrew said. “I just figured this would be a good thing to keep his legacy going.”

In May Pettigrew organized the sixth annual poker run, which raised about $8,000. The organizers of the run like to spread the money around to organizations that benefit veterans, and have long supported the veteran’s food bank.

Pettigrew said Harvest Foods sold them items at cost, and the run spent about $2,000 on food for the veteran’s food bank.

“This time of year with Thanksgiving coming up its nice to have a full pantry,” Pettigrew said last week after the Erickson’s truck was loaded down with food for the bank.