Fisher House Wisconsin poker run; motorcyclists turn out for benefit ride
MILWAUKEE - More than a thousand motorcycle riders turned out on Sunday morning, Sept. 1 to take part in an annual poker run to benefit Fisher House Wisconsin. The launching point for the poker run was the Harley-Davidson Museum in Milwaukee.
"We started 17 years ago with 42 motorcycles we were thrilled. We raised a couple hundred bucks and it was great and now today we ended up with about 1,100 motorcycles," said Bill Michaels, organizer of the poker run.
Poker run benefits Fisher House Wisconsin
"It’s been the people that have motorcycles, the people that you know have the ability to do charitable things. I mean what people don’t realize is, when you look at bikers, there’s the most charitable group of people you’ve ever, ever wanna meet," Michaels said.
Bill Michaels
"Being a recipient of this event is just an amazing thing I know countless hours and hard work goes into this and it’s all through that dedication of the community that allows us to do what we do, taking care of our military veteran families," said Steven Rose, Executive Director of Fisher House Wisconsin. "Bill‘s gone ahead and made it to where we’re able to be that recipient the fact that they’re generous enough to bring us back a year over year is quite amazing. It’s a real testament to this group and they want to go ahead and take care of the families that we served."
Steven Rose
"I was here last year for the ride and kinda got a dig to it. The people are so great the museum, I mean the Harley-Davidson museum, just a great place to host and do something like this and I work real close to the Harley-Davidson company in the museum is as well," said Jesse James Dupree, lead singer of Jackal.
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"Fisher House homes families when the veterans need them the most and they keep them families that keep those families together, so that’s the reason we do what we do," Micheals said.
Poker run benefits Fisher House Wisconsin
"It’s that gift that goes such a long way towards letting everybody in our community know what we’re doing how to benefit from it and how to become part of this community in the special mission," Rose said.
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2025 Harley-Davidson Homecoming dates revealed
Harley-Davidson announced on Monday, July 29 the dates for the 2025 Homecoming festival in Milwaukee. Next year's edition will take place from Thursday, July 10 through Sunday, July 13.
You can learn more about Fisher House Wisconsin or donate to the cause by visiting their website.