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Columbia River HOG group revises Run for the Border

Published 8:30 am Wednesday, May 22, 2024

There back! After a four-year absence, the Run for the Border Charity Motorcycle ride returned to Oroville for Armed Services Day on Saturday, May 18. The 150-mile ride from Wenatchee and back is sponsored by the Columbia River Harley Owners Group (HOG). This year 90 machines left Wenatchee for the journey north and arrived in Oroville around noon. <em>Gary DeVon/staff photo </em>

There back! After a four-year absence, the Run for the Border Charity Motorcycle ride returned to Oroville for Armed Services Day on Saturday, May 18. The 150-mile ride from Wenatchee and back is sponsored by the Columbia River Harley Owners Group (HOG). This year 90 machines left Wenatchee for the journey north and arrived in Oroville around noon. Gary DeVon/staff photo

OROVILLE – The Run for the Border charity motorcycle ride from Wenatchee to Oroville and back began anew after a three-year absence on Armed Forces Day, last Saturday, May 18.

“We had ninety bikes leave Wenatchee with about 130 people participating,” said organizer Steve Serafini with the Columbia River Harley Owners Group.

While it is organized by the Harley Owners Group, Serafini said the even welcomes riders with motorcycle brands of all types, all in the name of a good cause.

The group rides from Wenatchee with a pit stop in Pateros and then continues their “Run for the Border” up to Oroville. Serafina said 10 bikes joined the procession at Pateros.

While there has been road construction near Riverside, since it was Saturday there were no road crews or areas with one-lane only, however, there were grooved areas waiting to be repaved. Serafina said this wasn’t enough to hinder travel.

“It was a nice ride all the way up, I haven’t heard one person complain. The last time we did this was in 2019 and we wanted to do a Run for the Border revised this year,” said Serafini.

He said the whole purpose of the ride is to raise money for veterans on Armed Forces Day and that each rider pays a fee for the trip up and that the group also has a raffle and other ways to raise money.

“Today is Armed Forces Day and we are raising money for The Bunker which is an organization that’s purpose is helping vets,” he said.

The riders were given a chance to check out the town and later a ceremony was held by the Oroville American Legion Hodges Post 84 at Oroville’s Centennial Park. Then they made the 150-mile journey back home.

Video of the arrival of the riders to Oroville here.

About Gary DeVon

Gary DeVon is the managing editor of the Okanogan Valley Gazette-Tribune and celebrated his 25th year at the newspaper in August 2012. He graduated from Gonzaga University with a degree in Communications - Print Journalism, with an emphasis in photojournalism. He is a proud alumnus of Oroville High School. His family first settled in Okanogan County in the late 1800s. His parents are Judy DeVon and the late Larry DeVon and he has two younger brothers - Dante and Michael. Many family members still call Oroville home. He has a grown daughter, Segornae Douglas and a young granddaughter, Erin.

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