BIG BAY - The Harley Owners Group donated $80,356 to Bay Cliff Health Camp on Wednesday, putting them past the $1 million mark for donations made to the camp over the years.
A group of 24 members rode out to Big Bay on their motorcycles, joining the children for dinner before passing the check over to the camp on Wednesday. Ticket chairmen Joe Kerekes said the children enjoy seeing the bikes and get their pictures taken on them. HOG members also join the Bay Cliff campers for their annual 4th of July parade.
"The kids just love it," Kerekes said.
On average the HOGs, with the help of the community, sell 13,000 raffle tickets per year at $5 each. Over the past 20 years, they've raised just over $1.2 million.
"It's really a good thing ... you just feel great," Kerekes said.
This year's raffle prize, a 2009 Road King Classic motorcycle, went to a Harbor Springs resident. Funds are also raised at their annual bike show at the American Legion in Little Lake in July.
"Every penny that we do make goes to Bay Cliff; we don't keep any of it," Kerekes said.
The group began donating to Bay Cliff in 1988 and in 1997 began the annual bike raffle, which helped increase their annual donations. Kerekes thanked Bald Eagle Harley-Davidson, American Legion in Little Lake, local media outlets and Econo Foods for help with fundraising activities.
