BIGFORK — Thanks to the Montana Legends Poker Run, $20,000 in food was donated to the Northwest Montana Veteran’s Food Pantry on Monday.
The Montana Legends Memorial Poker Run for the Vets has become one the largest motorcycle events in Northwest Montana occurring the Saturday before Memorial Day for the last 12 years.
The event aims to raise funds going directly toward helping veterans succeed in life through food access, scholarship opportunities and more.
“You know we do scholarships to Flathead Community College; we do three Native American scholarships to Salish Kootenai and just a host of other things,” Poker Run organizer J.P. Pettigrew told MTN News.
Pettigrew said this year’s event raised close to $50,000 with $20,000 going directly to the Northwest Montana Veterans Food Pantry in Kalispell. J.P. said close to 250 motorcyclists participated in this year’s event supporting Flathead veterans.
“Well because there’s a lot of homeless and a lot of underprivileged people, veterans here, and you know for everything they do for us, we would like to do it back,” added Pettigrew.
Northwest Montana Veterans Food Pantry Community Outreach Director Cinnamon Davis Hall said the food donations will help fill 300 special holiday meal boxes for veterans.
“It’s going to go toward filling up our Thanksgiving and Christmas boxes with food, and so it’s a great donation, very helpful and it’s the Montana Legends that put this out every year,” said Davis Hall.
