The Orion Lodge #46 and A.M. (Free and Accepted Masons) held a third annual Motorcycle Benefit on Sept. 10, this year benefitting the Oakland County Sheriff’s Department’s K-9 Unit.
The event kicked off with a breakfast, and was followed by a ride to Frankenmuth for lunch, then back to the Orion Lodge for dinner.
The Masons planned to donate 100 percent of the proceeds after expenses to the K-9 Unit, represented at the event by Deputy Mike Richardson and K-9 ‘Boss,? a three-year-old German Shepherd.
‘The K-9 unit trains in a field near my house, and a friend of mine is a K-9 officer,? said Orion Lodge Secretary Leon Richardson of Sterling Heights. ‘In past years we’ve raised money for the Lake Orion Police Department, the Orion Township Fire Department, and The Thin Blue Line.?
Richardson hoped to have 100 or more riders participating in this year’s event, and last year’s drew about 60.
‘Lots of our members are motorcycle riders,? he said. ‘We have a Michigan Masonic Motorcycle Association.?
Richardson said the money raised would go directly to the dogs and their trainers. He hoped to raise at least $1,000.
‘The K-9 Unit was very happy that we are doing this,? he said.
The OCSD’s K-9 Unit is made of up of two bomb dogs and 11 other dogs trained in tracking, property recovery, handler protection and narcotic detection.
The unit typically responds to over 1,000 requests a year, and is available and on call to any police agency in the county who requests them.
In addition to the motorcycle benefit, the Orion Lodge has also held a golf outing to raise scholarship money for the past 14 years.