Holmes Conservation Beagle Club revs it up for a cause

Riding an ATV side-by-side can be an exhilarating experience, but when you get together with like-minded people who share a passion for riding, line up dozens of them and set sail on an 80-mile adventure on a sunlit day around Amish Country, you’ve got the making of something memorable.

That was the scene during the second annual Kevin Morris SxS Run on Saturday, April 20, when members of the Holmes Conservation and Beagle Club and others signed up to celebrate Morris’ life, raise some funds for the Holmes County Board of Developmental Disabilities, and enjoy a day of dining and driving.

Dozens of side-by-sides lined up and took flight for the run, which took participants from the Holmesville club’s starting point through the back roads of the counties of Holmes, Stark and Tuscarawas, moving from Moreland through Fredericksburg, Beach City, Mt. Hope and on.

The group enjoyed the beauty of nature, the valued relationships of friends, and there was plenty of food, both with the sausage, biscuit and gravy breakfast that began the day and the barbecued chicken dinner that took place afterward. There also was a raffle that brought in funds to help provide for some needs on the club property and to donate to the HCBDD.

“It’s a full day of fun,” board member Karen Fluhart said. “But we really love that we can do this as a memorial run for Kevin. He was such a presence in our community here, and we all cherished him. He was near and dear to our hearts, and his absence is still felt.”

“One of our officers used to bring Kevin around, and he really loved this place,” said Scott Fluhart, club president. “He was a complete joy to everyone here. He was so full of life, just a great guy who found his way into all of our hearts.”

In addition to donating funds to the HCBDD, which was a sizable donation of $1,500 last year, the club will utilize some of the money raised to continue its ongoing effort to shore up the pond near the clubhouse, a project that has been ongoing for the past two years.

“It was getting to the point where the pond was eroding the bank, and it was getting so close to the building that we thought we might lose the building, so we’ve increased the bank size next to the building,” Karen Fluhart said.

That renovation project and other upkeep projects have helped the members maintain a beautiful conservation area that can be rented out to others, but it also gives them a perfect meeting place to host events like their regular steak fries.

While the HCBC has been around for years, this past fall the group added the Dusty Roads Side-by-Side Club, creating another opportunity for people to get involved.

Much like every other person who enjoyed the ride and has found a second home at the club, riding and relationships go hand in hand as they share their joy for riding together in fellowship.

“We all share the same passion,” Karen Fluhart said. “It’s a great way to get together and share our lives and our love for riding.”

The one thing the club doesn’t want to do is exclude anyone, and they are eager to invite anyone who loves to ride and enjoys getting in the great outdoors to stop by, check out the facilities and experience the camaraderie of the club.

“We welcome anyone who wants to join,” Scott Fluhart said. “We are open every Thursday evening from roughly 5-8 p.m. and Sundays from 1-5 p.m., and people can stop in and fill out a membership application.”

The Holmes Conservation Beagle Club is located at 221 Franklin St., just west of state Route 83 in Holmesville.

The cost to join the club is $15 per individual or $20 for a family (living in the household, under age 18). For $30 an individual can join both the Holmes Conservation Club and the side-by-side club.

The club also can be found on Facebook.