The Mannville Elks Lodge 395 held their first annual Bike Rally and Classic Cars event on Saturday, June 2, 2018. The event was hosted by the Mannville Elks, with support from neighbouring lodges in Wainwright, Viking, Irma, and Vermilion. Before the Bike Rally began, there was a ceremony celebrating the Elks members at Confectionary 881. The eldest member of the Elks, Nestor Bohaichuck, handed off the gavel to the youngest member, Danny Rau. “I’ve been a Mannville Elk for 58 years, and I’m proud to be an Elk. I hope you will continue the activities and traditions and be a good, proud Elk,” said Bohaichuck to Rau. After the presentation came the Bike Rally, which consisted of 35 riders travelling around 240 kilometers. They started the ride in Mannville, travelling down to Viking, then through Irma, and stopping in Wainwright for a lunch provided by the Wainwright Elks. The riders then travelled up to Vermilion and ended in Mannville. After the rally, riders reconvened at the Gazebo in Mannville for the presentation of prizes. First prize was a knife made by Jim Myhovich out of a Harley Davidson Primary Drive Chain, valued at over $700 and was won by Gary Fahner. Second prize was a Stay and Play voucher for the Mannville Riverview golf course, won by Bill Calder, third prize was a knife making class taught by Ed Storch won by Levi Wonsik, and fourth prize was a Paintball Experience for eight people at Reavers Paintball won by Wayne Wascherol. In addition to the bikes, there were an additional five cars entered in the rally. The riders and car owners in the rally paid an entry fee of $25, which covered the cost of prizes, and lunch, with the rest of the proceeds going to the Institute for Stuttering Treatment and Research (ISTAR). ISTAR is an institute run by the University of Alberta that offers specialized treatment to children’s, teens, and adults that stutter. The institute also conducts research into stuttering, offers training for speech pathology students and clinicians, and promotes public awareness of stuttering and its treatment. “We would like to give many thanks to our sponsors, Elks members, and participants. Many hands make light work”, said Elk member Jim Storch, who was the organizer of the event. Also happening the same day as the bike rally was the Mannville Community Wide Garage Sale. The day was kicked off with a Pancake Breakfast put on by the Historical Society, and later in the day was a barbeque lunch hosted by the McQueen United Church. While waiting in between breakfast and lunch, people had the opportunity to hunt for treasures at each of the garage sales held across town.
