Eagle Riders to host ‘Feed the Truckers’ March 27

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The Sandpoint Aeries 589 Eagle Riders will be hosting a “Feed the Truckers” event from 12-4 p.m. on March 27 at the Huetter Weigh Station on I-90 eastbound at milepost 8.5.

Last year, the group created the event to help out truckers who were having trouble accessing amenities they normally would because of the pandemic, said S. Joe Wilson, aka “Tator” to his fellow bikers.

In the early days of the pandemic, many rest stops had closed bathrooms and removed beverages usually available. Some truckers were refused service because they traveled, Wilson said. At times truckers would resort to flagging down cars to order for them at drive-thrus because the trucks couldn’t fit and they weren’t allowed to walk up.

“It was like, truckers couldn’t get food,” he said. “The rest areas were full, they couldn’t go to the bathroom … without the truckers, we’d all be starving.”

Since then things have improved, but the group decided to keep up the tradition, said Kimberly Keller.

This year, Pastry and More and the Hoot Owl Cafe have already signed on to the still-growing list.

Keller, a member of the Sandpoint Eagle Riders and Hoot Owl employee, is coordinating the event food service for the Hoot Owl’s donations.

The Hoot Owl donated about $160 worth of meat and cheese for the truckers, and the group has also received numerous other donations in anticipation of the event. They plan to serve burgers, potato salad and veggie burgers.

“That’s something we found out last year, a lot of truckers are vegetarian,” she said. “Who knew?”

Last year donations from individuals and contributions from numerous local businesses allowed the event to carry on for six weekends in a row, Wilson said. On the busiest weekend, the group had 62 trucks show up, Wilson said. There were also a stop on the westbound side run by D Bess Food Truck.

In total, the group estimated they served over 600 truckers last year, according to a 2020 press release.

Businesses including Pastry and More from Coeur d'Alene, D Bess Food Truck, Messys Burgers, Sun Rental of Sandpoint, Bonner Community Food Bank, Doughnut Parade of Spokane, Second Harvest in Spokane, Pita Pit and Wood's Meat Processing participated in the previous event, he said.

Although truckers are now able to more easily get food service without the event, he wanted to run it for another reason as well, he said: In honor of one of the group’s former members, the late Ponderay Police Sgt. Mike Victorino.

Victorino, who died on Nov. 25 after being critically injured in a motorcycle crash, would bring his bike and help set up for the event, Wilson said.

“Mike was a big part of it,” he said.

Although the event is not part of an official memorial for Victorino, it is something the bikers have been talking about a lot within their group, Keller said.

Keller remembers seeing Victorino show up every Saturday before his accident.

“It’s something he was very, very involved in,” she said.