LEWISBURG — The Lewisburg Trailriders gave away 500 chicken dinners to Preble County residents at a chicken fry held at the Lewisburg Fire House Saturday, June 6.
Howard Garner has been a member of the Trailriders for 26 years, and is currently the group’s president. The group holds turkey shoots every year, according to Garner, as well as running the beer garden during Lewisburg’s annual Derby Days festival.
“Those are the things we do to raise money,” Garner said. “And then we give all that money back to the community.”
The Trailriders sponsor two annual scholarships, according to Garner, as well as paying water and light bills for needy families, paying school fees for kids in need, and contributing to the Cabbage Patch Food Bank. All in all the group raises approximately $13,000 a year to support local causes.
“If someone comes to us with a family that’s in crisis, we’ll jump in to help,” Garner said. “Anything to make our community a better place.”
“Because of COVID-19 a lot of people were set back, not working,” Garner continued. “So we decided to fry up these chickens and give them away for donation only.”
The Trailriders typically do three chicken fries during the summer, according to Garner, who said there isn’t anything about the experience of raising money to give back to the community that he doesn’t like.
“I love all of it,” Garner said. “It’s the cream of the crop, and the cherry on top.”
Trailriders member Bill Foster said he enjoys seeing the appreciation on people’s faces.
“I like serving, because then you get to talk to the people here in town,” he said.
Garner said this was the first event the Trailriders have been able to do since the Stay at Home order was issued in March.
“The virus has stopped our fundraisers, and that’s dampened us a little bit,” Garner said. “But it hasn’t got us down. This day and age, with everything going on, people like seeing a goodwill action.”
Sharon Brown, of Eaton’s Delta Theta Tau Phi Chapter, sang the Trailriders’ praises.
“They do an excellent job,” Brown said. Delta Theta Tau raises about $3,000-5,000 for local families and scholarships, according to Brown.
“It’s all philanthropy,” Brown said. “I lost my husband years ago, and I don’t know what I would have done without my sorority sisters. It’s just support.”
The Trailriders plan to hold a fish fry in Lewisburg June 27. Those interested in learning more can contact the organization through the Village of Lewisburg.
