Moniuszko Club members donate funds to the MDA Bike Run and Campout Event held in late August.

Special to the OBSERVER

STOCKTON — The 15th annual MDA Bike Run and Campout was held on Aug. 30, 31 and Sept. 1 at Chautauqua County Fireman’s Fraternity Campgrounds. The event was sponsored by Dunkirk Moniuszko Club, and co-sponsored by The American Legion Riders of WNY. The weekend was in honor of Erik Robbins and Brian Robbins, who have been the Good Will Ambassadors for this event for the past 15 years and suffer from this crippling and terminal disease.

The event was in memory of the following individuals:

¯ Albert Elliott, stepfather of Erik and Brian Robbins, who passed away on Oct. 29, 2015.

¯ Jane Jusko Eagan, grandmother of Erik and Brian Robbins, who passed away on March 30, 2005.

¯ Joan Burns who passed away on Jan. 22, 2008, at the age of 36 from Muscular Dystrophy and was an advocate for the handicapped and spearheaded the effort to make all public buildings in Dunkirk handicapped accessible;

¯ Several supporters of MDA and our event who left us way too early: Joe Lascola, Jr. (May 3, 2011); Chuck Pacos (March 23, 2016); Billy Hall (Jan. 1, 2017); James J. Sell (Jan. 18, 2017), Frank Jusko, Sr. (May 5, 2017) and Donald S. Hall (Sept. 2, 2017).

The campgrounds were filled with campers and bikers who came together over the Labor Day weekend to raise money for a very important cause.

Friday evening, live music was provided by Just Another Band (J.A.B.) from Erie, Pa., who played from 6 to 10 p.m. Jim Walker of Big Jim’s BBQ came in from Indiana to serve up awesome BBQ. Thank you to the American Legion Riders of WNY for shucking 8 bags of corn on the cob (350-plus ears of corn) Friday evening in preparation for dinner on Saturday.

Starting at 10 a.m. on Saturday, The American Legion Riders of WNY assisted with registration for the motorcycle run. All registered participants received a specially designed 15th Annual Lapel Pin and the first 100 registered received a commemorative 15th annual t-shirt designed and printed by Creative Screen Printing.

Creative Screen Printing was set up all weekend with mobile t-shirt printing for others wanting to purchase shirts. Starting at noon, the 175 registered participants which included 129 motorcycles and a school bus provided by First Student (17 passengers), were led out of Stockton by members of The American Legion Riders of WNY. The first stop was the Nickel Plate Depot in Brocton, where hot dogs were served to all. The motorcyclists continued to stop points including the VFW Post 557 in Ellery Center, The Vegas Pad in Kennedy, Zollinger’s South Dayton Hotel, and Coughlin’s Pub in Fredonia, before returning to the Chautauqua County Fireman’s Fraternity Campgrounds.

The participants returned for dinner at 5 p.m., which included a half chicken prepared by Dan Skubis, Angelo Rivera, Doug Owen and Dennis Bouquin. The kitchen committee consisted of Judy Ames, Misty Winslow, Jamie and Bobby Michaels, Sue Jensen, Sheri Boorady, Kelly Berenguer and Alyssa Watts. Sides included green beans, corn on the cob donated by Feinen’s, Yerico’s, and Lasecki’s, and potatoes and corn donated by Roberto Fred Farm, bread donated by Better Baked Foods and beverages from Shur-Fine in Cassadaga, Dollar General in Brocton and Certo Bros. Thank you to St. Joseph’s Catholic Church in Fredonia for allowing us to use their electric cookers to serve all the wonderful food.

Once again, the New Direction Band out of Crawford County, Pa., returned to our event and provided an awesome show and live music from 6 to 10 p.m. Saturday evening. The silent auction and big board raffle items totaled 200-plus items and provided items for all ages with plenty of opportunity to win. A 50/50 drawing was also held.

Thank you to Bill Vacanti for donating the Jack Daniel’s Sturgis 79th Anniversary Private Stock signed bottle direct from Sturgis Motorcycle Rally. The bottle cannot be purchased in any store. It was bottled specifically for the 79th Sturgis event by the Jack Daniels Distillery. There was also a laser etched Sturgis 79th anniversary logo on the bottle. The bottle, custom coaster and box were all signed by representatives from the Jack Daniel’s Distillery. These items were purchased by Bill at Sturgis and then he in turn asked for the autograph and special note on the bottle and box stating “MDA Run 2019.” Also included in the package was a Gremlin Bell from Sturgis. Collector’s value could go well over $500 as stated by Jack Daniels.

Thank you to Cindy Marucci for taking photos all weekend and posting them on our Facebook page “MDA Bike Run & Campout.” Thank you to Greg Kiendl of Wild Cat Karaoke and DJ for providing entertainment from 1 to 4 p.m. on Sunday during our annual “kill the keg” event. Edziu Wallace would like to thank the “kill the keg” gang which included Scott Chrispen, Steve Colburn, Wilbur Bush, Jeff Abbey, Lauren Douglas, Jim Michaels, John Pazderski and all the others who came to hang out all afternoon.

Edziu and Tina Wallace would also like to thank the Dunkirk Moniuszko Club board members and club members for sponsoring our event again this year. Without your generous sponsorship, this event would not be possible.

Thank you to all the motorcyclists and campers who support this event each year. Thank you to the following: Chautauqua County Fireman’s Fraternity, Inc. Board Members and Campground Caretakers, Terry and Stephanie Grisanti; American Legion Riders of WNY for planning and leading the bike run; Nickel Plate Depot for welcoming us and serving hot dogs, the VFW Post 557 Ellery Center, The Vegas Pad, Zollinger’s South Dayton Hotel and Coughlin’s Pub for allowing us to stop at your establishments for refreshments; Creative Screen Printing; and First Student Bus for providing a bus for those who do not ride a motorcycle.

Thanks to the following individuals who helped by selling tickets, serving beverages, assisted with setting up and drawing the auction winners, cleanup etc.: Mary Ann Sell, Brenda Pazderski, Melissa Pazderski, Christin Augello-DeGolier, Kevin Kelsey, Cindy Marucci, Chuck Grisanti, Lori Grisanti, Bill Vacanti, Steve Colburn, Loren Douglas, Ray and Tammy Hildebrand, American Legion Riders of WNY members, and any others we may have missed. Special thanks are extended to Diane Elliott and family of Fredonia.

Thanks to all the businesses, groups and individuals for monetary donations and auction items for the 2019 event including:

AMVETS Ladies Auxilary 726, Jamestown; Animal & Noreen Shuart; AT&T; Auto Zone; Barbara Ann’s Hair Salon; Basil Chevrolet; Big Jim’s BBQ – Jim Walker; Becc Electric; Brautigam & Brautigam; Brocton American Legion; Tom & Kathy Buckley; Buffalo Bison’s Baseball; Buffalo Sabres; Cassadaga Country Club; Cassadaga Farm Supply; Cattoo’s; Chautauqua County Fireman’s Fraternity; Christin Augello-DeGolier; Joel & Cindy Chimera; Columbus Club; Concord Pharmacy; Coughlin’s Pub; Lisa Courson; Sherry Crowe; Dana Riforgiato/Timerberland Assoc; Darwin’s; Debbie Delcamp; DeJohn’s Spaghetti House; Domus Fare; Duck’s Unlimited/Ron Romance; Dunkirk OBSERVER; Diane Elliott; Family Video; Feinen’s Vegetable Stand; First Ward Falcon Club; Greg Frazita; Fredonia Beaver Club; Fredrickson Builders; Gay Mark Tire; G&E Tents; Charlie and Audra Giambra; Linda Harris, CPA; Heenan’s Bar; Henry’s Hair; Heritage Cellars (North East Pennsylvania); Hidden Treasurers; Gwyn Hite; Invention Room; Jamestown Plastics; Sonny Jandrew; Johnson Estate Winery; JoJo Asian Cafe; Karen Leone/Hello Gorgeous Salon; Mike and Dee Kelley; Paul and April Kelley; K-Kare Services Inc.; Roger and Sue Klossner; Kosciuszko Club; Lakeside Club of Dunkirk; Lasecki Farms; Lion’s Den; Cindy Marucci; Jim and Lori Michaels; Mogen-David Winery; Moniuszko Club of Dunkirk; Matt’s News; Napa – Dunkirk; Napa – Westfield; Nestle Purina; Nickel Plate Depot; Noble Winery; Omalia’s Wine & Spirit; Patton Electric; John and Brenda Pazderski; Melissa Pazderski; Post Journal; Power Shop; Erik Robbins; Brian Robbins; Roberto Fred Farms; Rocco’s Restaurant; Saavy Hair; Sherwin Williams; Shultz – Jamestown; Shurfine; Stockton Hotel; St. Joseph’s Catholic Church; Sullivan’s Charbroil; The Cakery; Tops Market; Tractor Supply; Top to Bottom Cleaning (Michelle Mosier); Tamara “Tammy” Durant Yard Art; True Value Add Lumber; Tuscany Fresh Meats and Deli; Vacanti Extreme Signs; VFW Post 557 – Ellery Center; Vegas Pad; Westfield Auto Repair / Darren Buck; Ed, Tina and Nick Wallace; Wild Kat Karaoke & DJ; Yerico’s Vegetable & Fruit Stand; Zollinger’s South Dayton Hotel.

Thank you to everyone for your continuous support by donating time or items to the silent auction, raffles or made monetary donation and those we may have missed listing above. This year’s event raised $8,100 for Muscular Dystrophy Association. Over the past fifteen years the event has raised $84,225 for the Muscular Dystrophy Association.

In order for us to return next year for the 16th annual, we will need dedicated individuals to commit to helping out in 2020. The dates for the 16th annual Bike Run and Campout would be Sept. 4, 5 and 6, 2020 (Labor Day Weekend). If you or your organization would like to help with the event in 2020, please contact Ed Wallace at 410-0627 or Tina Wallace at 410-0845.