ANDOVER — The Ellis River Riders is hosting a Murder Mystery Trail Ride from 10 a.m. to noon Saturday, Sept. 20, to benefit a nonprofit organization that provides free air transportation to patients.

Audrey McKenzie, treasurer of the Ellis River Riders, said Tony Milligan, chairman of the club’s Food Committee, is a volunteer with Angel Flight Northeast, which flies individuals who cannot afford medical transportation to hospitals free of charge.

“The volunteers with Angel Flight Northeast don’t get paid for any of the flights they do for patients,” McKenzie said. “They pay for the gas by themselves and volunteer their own time. We thought that after all that Tony has done for us and the club, we should give back to the group he’s in.”

Riders will take a designated trail on the property of the Ellis River Riders and pick clues to help them solve a murder mystery.

“People can bring their own horses and navigate the trail while they try to solve the murder,” McKenzie said.

After they finish, riders will have a lunch and an announcement will be made of the “top murder sleuth,” she said.

The idea for the Murder Mystery Trail Ride was born after McKenzie heard about another horse club Down East doing the same thing.

“When I heard about it, I thought, ‘Wow, I wish I could go to that,’” McKenzie said. “Unfortunately, I wasn’t able to make it, but when we were trying to think of fundraising ideas, we all agreed that this would be a fun way to do it.”

McKenzie lauded Milligan for his dedication to the Ellis River Riders.

“He doesn’t ride horses, but he still helps us out when he can,” McKenzie said. “He dedicates eight to 12 of his Saturdays a year to the club, on top of volunteering his time and money for Angel Flight Northeast. We just wanted to do something for him.”

mdaigle@sunjournal.com