Marysville, WA (January 2, 2019) BTN — The North County
Chapter of the Bandidos Motorcycle Club helped to collect more than 3,700
pounds of food for the Marysville Community Food Bank this December.
The club’s food drive was held on Dec. 15 in Marysville at
the Lucky 13 Saloon and helped to bring in a total of around 3,760 pounds of
food in addition to $1,461 raised from items auctioned at their event.
This was the first time that the local club has decided to
put on a holiday food drive and Bandido Milkman Josh Leathers, a member of the
club and one of the main organizers of the event, was happy with how it went. “Overall I believe that the food drive was a success,” he
said.
From left, Bandido Roadman Will Holloway, Marysville food bank CPA Robyn Warren, food bank director Dell Deierling and Bandido Milkman Josh Leathers.
The club had decided they wanted to help locals this holiday
season and decided to try a food drive. “We wanted to give back to the community so we chose to give
to the local food bank,” said Leathers. “They do a lot of good work for the less fortunate in the
community,” he said.
The collected food helps the Marysville Community Food Bank
provide their Christmas baskets to local individuals and families in need. The food bank typically serves more than 500 families during
their Christmas basket giveaways each year.
Food drives during the holidays also help stock the food
bank going into next year as well, said Dell Deierling, director of the
Marysville Community Food Bank.
Donations, such as from the Bandidos Motorcycle Club, help
the food bank continue serving into the new year and typically keep the shelves
stocked for months to come.
“The Marysville Community Food Bank provides groceries to
about 300 families on an average week,” said Deierling. “Nearly one person in 10 in Marysville/Tulalip/Lakewood
utilizes the food bank at least once during the course of the year,” he said.
From left, Casper James Jennings, Bandido Probationary Roach Scott Caudel and Bandido Probationary Wizard Tol McAleese.
Leathers said he was glad that people came together to work
on the food drive. “I would say I enjoyed bringing everyone together in the
community, including motorcycle clubs and other civilians,” he said.
Deierling appreciated the help from the local club as well.
“It was incredible to ride up to the Lucky 13 Saloon and see
rows of Harley-Davidson's, a flurry of bikers socializing and a trailer awaiting
the bounty of food that was stacked inside the bar and being carried up to a
scale to be weighed,” he said. “This was an amazing first-time event that I sure hope
becomes and annual tradition.”
Leathers said that the club is currently considering if they
should run the food drive again next year. “We are looking into that right now and will have a decision
in the next couple of months,” he said.
