A new nonprofit plans to launch an effort to build a veteran homestead in Hillsdale County with a public fundraiser Aug. 15.
Lost and Found Homestead Farms will host an inaugural poker run, with proceeds supporting the group’s mission to provide housing, job training and a sense of purpose to veterans through agriculture and skilled trades.
Executive Director Kimberly Napier said the event marks a shift from planning to community engagement.
“Over the past several months, we’ve built our board of directors, launched our website, established our fundraising plan and began partnering with local businesses and veteran organizations that believe in what we’re building,” Napier wrote via email to The Daily News.
The nonprofit, introduced earlier this year, aims to construct a permanent homestead in Wright Township where veterans can live while gaining hands-on experience in farming, animal care, food production and trades.
“We’re not just focused on temporary assistance,” Napier previously told The Daily News. “We’re building a place where veterans can put down roots, learn valuable skills and become part of something that feeds both families and the local community.”
The project remains in the formation and approval stage, with organizers working through state and local requirements before land acquisition and construction. In the meantime, the nonprofit is building a network of donors, volunteers and business partners.
Napier said interest is growing among veteran groups, including conversations with the U.S. Veterans Motorcycle Club.
All money raised from the poker run will support site development and expansion of programming. The “run” or scenic motorcycle ride begins at Hudson Leather in Pioneer, Ohio, on Aug. 15. The event stretches 100 miles with five poker stops, cash and sponsor prizes, 50/50 raffles and a final stop at the American Legion Post 514 in Ida, Michigan.
The event’s registration is $35 per rider with an additional $15 per passenger.
Learn more at lostandfoundhomestead.org/events.
— Contact reporter Corey Murray at cmurray@hillsdale.net or follow him on X, formerly Twitter, at @cmurrayhdn.
This article originally appeared on Hillsdale Daily News: Hillsdale nonprofit’s dream of veteran homestead begins with poker run
Reporting by Corey J. Murray, Hillsdale Daily News / Hillsdale Daily News
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
By Corey J. Murray, Hillsdale Daily News | USA TODAY Network
