Bikers organize annual food drive to help Mat Su families in need

It’s not quite riding season yet in Alaska, but a group of bikers is still hard at work collecting food donations for needy families in the Mat-Su Borough.

For several years, the group ‘Bikers Against Hunger’ has held an annual food drive to help keep local food pantries stocked during the months of January and February, a time when many families struggle to put food on the table.

Glen “the Dude” Butts, with the Christian Motorcycle Association, said he became aware of the issue a few years ago, and wanted to do something to help.

“We were trying to come up with a way to help out the community and I had to go to the food bank,” Butts told Channel 2. “I go in there and I find literally empty shelves and there was a line of people, and this was after the first of the month.”

On Sunday afternoon, the bikers held their annual Spaghetti Feed at the Mat Su Alano Club, an event aimed at encouraging more donations from the public for the food drive. Visitors were asked to donate canned food or money to take part in the event which featured a spaghetti dinner and door prizes from the food drive’s many sponsors.

Wasilla Mayor Bert Cottle says he’s been coming to the Spaghetti Feed for the last four years and helps the group advertise the food drive.

“This is about as grassroots as you can get. I mean these guys go out of their way to try and raise money, raise food to help everybody in the Valley,” Cottle said. “I think it’s a great event. They’re doing a very good thing.”

According to Butts, many different members of Alaska's biking community help support the food drive. So far this year, they've been able to collect about 300 lbs of food.

“Everybody helps out in their own way,” he said. “It may not be one particular club or association or riding group, but they all help out.”

The food drive is still ongoing, with collection bins at 13 locations across the Mat Su Borough. For more information on where you can donate, visit the