Forimmediaterelease HogsontheMountainForAGoodCause Ironton,MOLaborDayweekend,therewillbetwodifferent"hogsonthemountain"inIronCounty: motorcycle"hogs"andwildboars.Motorcycletourismandwildboarhuntingaregrowingmarketsandthe upcomingmotorcycleeventHogsontheMountainwillcapitalizeonthesehogsforagoodcause. "TheIronCountySalvationArmywasabouttocloseitsdoors!DavehadtheideaofHogsontheMountain alreadyandwethoughtitwouldbeagreatwaytohelpthecharitableorganizationtocontinuetoprovidea safetynetforthecommunity,"saidHogsontheMountainorganizerDeniseBates." HogsontheMountainisthebrainchildofDaveandDeniseBates,aretiredArcadiaValleyschoolteacher andtheIronCountyTreasurer. "TheIronCountySalvationArmyprovidesastopgapmeasureforsomanyinourcommunity.Itmatches peopleupwithservices,necessaryitems,andemergencyfunds. Therewillbetwomainpartsofthemotorcycleevent:ABlessingsoftheBikesatthetopofTaumSauk MountainandacelebrationattheArcadiaAcademyfeaturingBoristheRussianBoar. "DavethoughtwecouldcelebratetwoofthemostuniquefeaturesofIronCounty.

TaumSaukMountainand thehugeferalhogpopulation."DeniseBatesexplainedtheinspirationforthecharitableevent."BothTaum SaukMountainandthewildboarscouldbebigdrawsfortouriststoourcommunity.TaumSaukisthe highestpointinMissouriat1772ft. Denisecontinued:"Wearehopingtocapitalizeonourferalhogproblem.Theyarebreedingandmultiplying toapointthatextinctionmaynotbepossible.Withsomeplanningwemaybecomethecapitalofthehog huntsinthestateofMissouri.IronCountycouldbetheWildBoarHuntingCapitalofMissouri." MotorcyclistscanhavetheirbikesblessedatthetopofTaumSaukMountainbymonksfromtheDhamma Sukha,aworldfamousBuddhistcenterlocatedinAnnapolis,MO.TaumSaukistheclosestyoucanget toGodinMissouri,sowethoughthavingbikesblessedwouldbeagreatevent,Denisesaid. AlthoughIronCountyisoneofthepoorestcountiesinMissouri,itisrichinitsrecreationalopportunities, scenery,historyandlandmarks,includingJohnsonShutIns,ElephantRocks,theBlackRiver,Fort DavidsonandtheArcadiaAcademy.TheAcademyhasgonethroughmanyincarnations,includingaCivil WarHospitalandaCatholicGirlsSchool.Currentlyithousesarestaurant,TheeAbbeyKitchen,andisthe siteofmanyevents,includingconferencesandweddings. TheeventattheAcademywillfeaturevendors,abeergarden,andlivemusic.Attendeescanalsomeetthe reallifewildhog,BoristheRussianBoar."IthinkBoriswillreallybeagreatdraw.He'ssomeanandugly looking!"saidDaveBates. Foodwillbeprovidedbyarearestaurants,includingTheeAbbeyKitchenandBayleeJosBBQ. MotorcycletouristsparticipatingintheBlessingsoftheBikewillfirstmeetattheIronCountyCourthouseat 12:30pmandthenridetothetopofTaumSaukMountain.TheCelebrationwillbeginat1pmandendat

10pmattheArcadiaAcademy,onHWY21inArcadia,MO.Lowcostcampingandroomswillbeavailable attheAcademy. Admissiontotheeventisfree,althoughdonationsareencouraged. Informationabouttheeventcanbefoundathogsonthemountain.comandonFacebook.Questionscanbe directedtohogsonthemountain@yahoo.com.

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