By Mary Ellen Zangara, Special Writer
The Manville–Hillsborough Elks Motorcycle Club held its third annual New Year’s Day Hangover Ride Saturday with 65 bikers participating. The ride has been a tradition to raise funds for the Army of Hope.
Mark Nipps, president of the Manville-Hillsborough Elks Motorcycle Club, said they continue to do the Hangover Run in support of the Army of Hope.
”We started this event three years ago and this year’s is going to be the most successful one to date, with the weather cooperating, and we have Elks members from all over the state of New Jersey and other people who came out to support us today,” Mr. Nipps said.
”There are Red Knights guys, local firefighters, the Dawn Patrol from Bradley Gardens, so we got a lot of support from other groups and riders.”
Mr. Nipps told how this ride began. “It started as basically something to do on New Year’s Day. We are very enthusiastic about our motorcycles and it was just looking for another reason to get out on the motorcycle. There is always one up in North Jersey so we just decided to do something down in this area,” he said.
When asked how they got the name for the ride, Mr. Nipps laughed and said, “New Year’s Day everyone usually has a hangover and being that the first year that we planned it, literally coming with the idea in the end of November and in 30 days, we had to come up with a name fast. So that’s where it started and it seems to be working,” he said.
The ride was about 45 minutes long, starting at the Elks Lodge on Brooks Boulevard, then heading out Route 202 to Flemington and back along Amwell Road. The riders returned to a buffet dinner at the Elks Lodge, with vendors and door prizes.
Local riders included vice president of the Motorcycle Club Jeff Domitrowski and a few other bikers who joined them, including Elks member Ed Leib with passenger Bonnie Wisniewski.
Drew Scerbro from Boonton Lodge No. 1405, vice president of that motorcycle club, came to the ride to “support our brothers and come ride with them to support their cause and they support our causes.”
Eric Burke, president of the Boonton Lodge club, also rode and said, “We do a lot of these runs every year and it is really to help out the causes and I am just happy to represent our lodge.”
According to the motorcycle club’s website, the Army of Hope is an organization founded by The Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks of the U.S.A. in February 2003 to assist families who have had a father or mother called to active duty with the military reserve or National Guard.
An Army of Hope, comprising carpenters, electricians, mechanics, plumbers, attorneys, doctors, accountants, teachers, and professional people and tradesmen of every type, has been mobilized by the Order of Elks. These volunteers will be at the ready to help families of those patriots called to serve our nation.
In 2,100 Elks Lodges across America 1,100,000 members are poised to make minor repairs and provide professional services to keep homes functioning until loved ones return. The work of the committee, through donations, have helped many soldiers and families and kept veterans and troops from loosing heat in the winter, being removed from housing and other day-to-day needs.
The Elks support the Fort Dix jobs fair to help the many veterans and soldiers get jobs as they return to civilian life or just get back on their feet. Army of Hope will continue to work with the schools to get cards and letters to the troops overseas and will work to help them in every way while they are overseas with mementos from home and items to make life a little easier.

