Perry Lions Club President Lou Hoger opened the Monday night meeting by leading the club in the Pledge of Allegiance, and Lion Chris Tjapkes said the prayer. Sixteen members and one guest shared a Hotel Pattee meal of a cheeseburger and dish of coleslaw.
The guest and speaker for the evening’s program was Mike Wallace, director of the Dallas County Conservation Department. Wallace gave the club a report on the Raccoon River Valley Trail (RRVT) and an update on the connector trail linking the High Trestle Trail in Woodward to the RRVT in Perry.
Wallace showed the membership an interesting video about the RRVT and all of the towns connected to the trail. He said the trail brings economic benefits to the trail towns, estimating that the city of Perry gets about $100,000 a year of business from riders on the RRVT. He also gave some other interesting data:
- The RRVT had 300,000 riders last year, and the High Trestle Trail had 400,000 riders.
- The average person spends two to three hours in an average ride on the trail.
- The rider spends between $6 and $20 while in the towns along the trail.
- The major users are in the 45-to-74 age group.
- The main reason for riding is exercise and training, and the period of highest use is the in the few weeks before RAGBRAI, when the trail is packed.
Wallace said the $5 million connector trail is making progress. He said his department is applying for more state and federal grant money, and the project has also received donations from many business and private families.
The connector trail will be developed in sections, Wallace said, and he hopes that construction will start in 2018. He said when the trail is finished, it will be a great asset to the communities on the trail, and Perry will see even more of an economic benefit.
In other Perry Lions Club business, Secretary Ray Harden received a ten year membership pin from the Iowa Lions State Office.
Hoger reported on the BRR Ride breakfast, where 292 riders were served, a gain of one from the 2016 ride. Lion John Andorf said only one egg was left in the pan after the final rider was fed, so the planning was nearly perfect. Hoger said the calculation of expenses and profits was not yet complete, but he estimated they will be similar to last year’s.
Hoger thanked the members who worked on the project and said everything went smoothly. Some discussion was held for planning the next BRR Bike Ride to Rippey.
