On one of the hottest days of the year, 150 motorcycle riders took off at 12:00 p.m from American Legion Post 320 in Pacific to ride 101 miles, to four cities, to raise money to complete restoration of the flood damaged Historic First Baptist Church in Pacific.
The July 24 event was the second annual Turtle Johnson poker run to benefit the historic church that was heavily damaged in the flood of 2016.
Danny “Turtle” Johnson was a constant supporter of the church, located across the street from his family home. And he was an avid motorcyclist. Although he never joined a motorcycle club, riders from half a dozen local clubs welcomed him as one of their own.
When Norbert Gildehaus and Bob Masson organized the Historic First Baptist Church restoration committee to rebuild the damaged church, Turtle was the first individual to ask to join the committee and the first individual to make a donation to the restoration project.
When he died unexpectedly of a heart attack in July 2019, upwards of 200 motorcycles – many with two riders – lined up at the mortuary in St. Clair to escort Turtle on the 25-mile ride to St. Bridget Catholic Church in Pacific where family members waited patiently for a celebration that would last five hours. Turtle’s body was carried in a glass-enclosed hearse pulled by a motorcycle provided by One More Ride of St. Clair
And when the first annual Turtle Johnson poker run was announced in 2020, the town was again filled with bikers. So it was no surprise last Saturday, July 24 when the second annual Turtle Run to benefit the old church took place, the bikers returned.
Riders followed a 103 mile run to Stout’s motorcycle apparel, Union; T&T Hilltop Lounge, New Haven; Purdy’s Stoney Hill Hall, Owensville and Lesley Depot, Lesley, Missouri. Between 4 p.m. and 5 p.m. they roared back to the Legion compound in Pacific. The celebration lasted three more hours until several items were auctioned off and the raffle ticket was drawn to name Johnny Haynes as the winner of the Big Dog motorcycle that had been donated to the church restoration project.
