Lottery summary for the week of June 7

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Relay for Life raises funds, awareness to fight cancer

SHICKSHINNY &#8212; About 100 motorcycle riders cruised the highways of Northeastern Pennsylvania on Saturday to raise money for veteran rehabilitation at the fifth annual Veteran&#8217;s Ride sponsored by the American Legion Riders Post 495.All of the money raised goes to the Hunts for Healing organization in Laceyville.Edwin Dauch, president of the 52-member riders&#8217; club, said most of the riders are veterans or family of veterans who all want to help their comrades returning from conflicts overseas to return to normal life.This is the first year they are donating to the Hunts for Healing, Dauch said. They were impressed with the work done there and decided to focus on raising money for them.&#8220;They&#8217;re a great group,&#8221; he said. &#8220;Everything they have goes strictly to help the veterans.&#8221;Hunts for Healing takes veterans hunting and offers other activities to help them find the &#8220;spiritual healing&#8221; they need, Dauch said. It helps them get back to reality and get out of their depression, he added.As a Vietnam-era veteran, he said he could relate to the importance of being helped back into society.&#8220;Troops coming back can have a lot of problems,&#8221; he stressed. &#8220;Some veterans have a history of not being treated well, and we don&#8217;t want to see that happen again.&#8221;The motorcycles, many decorated with the American flag, roared through the hills and highways from Shickshinny to Hughesville, Lycoming County, and surrounding areas. They made three stops at other American Legion posts, and there was food, raffles, door prizes and other give-aways available for the riders.Dauch hopes this year&#8217;s ride will top last year&#8217;s total of $1,400.Melinda Piccotti, who founded the Hunts for Healing in 2009, said she appreciated the efforts of the legion riders to help.&#8220;We are honored they adopted us,&#8221; she said. &#8220;We could not function without their generosity.&#8221;Returning veterans often spend time in hospitals dealing with severe physical and mental injury, she said. The Hunts for Healing offers them social interaction, home-cooked meals, outdoor activities, friendship and support so they can make the transition back to their neighborhoods and communities.Piccotti&#8217;s only regret was she could not join the ride on Saturday.&#8220;I have my own bike and can&#8217;t ride with them because we&#8217;re too busy,&#8221; she said.

Motorcycle ride raises money for vets