The Renaissance Room / Elmhurst

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Community Comes Together: Poker Bike Run Raises $10,000 for Local Family

More than 100 participants, one incredible day, and a $10,000 reminder of what can happen when a community comes together.

The Elmhurst Knights of Columbus Council #1911 is proud to announce that the 2026 Poker Bike Run raised $10,000 for the Danya Mowatt family, providing direct assistance to a local family facing circumstances that most of us can only imagine.

The annual Poker Bike Run, held July 18, brought together more than 100 riders, friends, families, volunteers, and supporters for a day that was certainly about having some fun, but ultimately about something much bigger.

Danya and her family of six are navigating an extraordinarily difficult chapter. Her husband is battling severe dementia, and Danya has stepped away from work to care for him full-time while also caring for their four children, ranging in age from just 9 months old through high school.

When members of Council #1911 learned their story, there really wasn’t much debate about what needed to happen.

We wanted to help.

Under the leadership of Poker Bike Run Chairman Rocco Revello, the Knights went to work. Then the Elmhurst community did what it has done so many times before: it showed up.

More than 100 people participated in the event. Others donated, volunteered, sponsored, promoted the fundraiser or simply found a way to contribute. Every registration, every donation, and every helping hand moved us closer to what became an incredible $10,000 gift.

“The Poker Bike Run is about a lot more than getting together for a great day with friends and fellow riders,” Revello said. “It’s about coming together as a community when someone needs help. When we learned what this family was going through, we knew we wanted this year’s event to make a meaningful difference.”

And that is exactly what happened.

Recently, representatives of the Knights of Columbus had the privilege of presenting Danya and her family with a check for $10,000. The photograph tells part of the story, but the real story belongs to everyone who helped make that check possible.

This is why we do what we do.

The Knights of Columbus is built upon Charity, Unity, Fraternity and Patriotism, but those words mean the most when they become action. Sometimes that means raising money. Sometimes it means volunteering a Saturday. Sometimes it simply means standing beside a neighbor and letting them know they aren't facing a difficult time alone.

To every rider, donor, sponsor, volunteer, family member, and friend who supported the 2026 Poker Bike Run, we offer our sincere thanks.

You didn't simply help us raise $10,000. You helped a local family when they needed their community most.

That is something all of us can be proud of.

Elmhurst Knights of Columbus Council #1911
The Renaissance Room | 537 S. York Road, Elmhurst

Community helping community. That's what this was all about.

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GIVE BLOOD. SAVE LIVES. MAKE A DIFFERENCE.

The Elmhurst Knights of Columbus #1911 invite our Brother Knights, families, friends and the entire community to join us for our Blood Drive on Sunday, October 18, from 8:00 AM to 1:15 PM at The Renaissance Room, 537 S. York Street in Elmhurst. A little time out of your Sunday could make an enormous difference for someone who needs it. Walk-ins are welcome, but we strongly encourage you to sign up early and reserve your preferred donation time.

Early appointments also help Vitalant prepare the right staffing, supplies and equipment so we can make the day run smoothly and collect as many lifesaving units of blood as possible. Please make your appointment today, then ask a friend, neighbor or family member to join you. Together, we can turn a Sunday morning into something truly meaningful for our community. Schedule Your Blood Donation Appointment

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