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The activities of The Legion Riders are limited only by the imagination
of the members of the local Riders organizations, and many chapters
have independently raised thousands of dollars for local children’s
hospitals, schools, veterans’ homes, severely wounded servicemen and
women, and American Legion scholarship programs. Since 2006, Riders
have united nationally for The American Legion Legacy Run to
raise hundreds of thousands of dollars each year for The American
Legion Legacy Scholarship Fund, established for the children of those
who given their lives on active duty defending our freedoms around the
world.
The American Legion Riders Today
Today
the American Legion Riders have grown to nearly 800 Legion Rider
programs in virtually every Department and in several overseas areas.
Over the last few years, Riders in Iowa have formed an honor guard
called The Five Star Freedom Riders. Riders in Mulvane, Kansas,
reacting to a religious cult that uses the deaths of military members
to further a misguided cause, formed the original “Patriot Guard” to
protect and show our respect to the families at military funerals.
American Legion Riders in all states have escorted returning military
units as they return home from combat tours overseas, and have raised
literally millions of dollars for countless local, state, and national
charities.
And the Riders have only just started to roll.
Each
American Legion Rider Chapter manages its programs at the post level,
where all of the best ideas are born in the best American Legion
“grass-roots” tradition. Here are only a few examples of the programs
and projects of The Riders:
- Participation in the annual POW/MIA Rally held each Memorial weekend in Washington D.C. known as "Rolling Thunder".
- Participation
in annual regional rides such as “Operation Wounded Warrior, sponsored
by Riders in Nevada, Texas, New Mexico, Utah, Arizona, California, and
several other western states.
- Sponsoring or participating in local charity events in support of The American Legion or of the community.
- Raising
money for such organizations as local VA Hospitals, Women and
Children's Centers, Children and youth centers, schools, and many
others.
- Sponsoring or participating in motorcycle "Runs" to
benefit numerous charities, including charities for underprivileged
children and medical research, just to name a few.
- Participation in local memorial ceremonies and community parades.
- Annual
participation in The American Legacy Run, a fundraising cross-country
run from The American Legion’s national headquarters in Indianapolis,
Indiana, to the year’s national convention city.
- Riding to
honor fallen military men and women, and to protect the sanctity of
their funerals from those who would dishonor their memory.
- Riding
escort for military units enroute to departure airfields and airports
to combat tours overseas, and welcoming them home upon their return.
Motorcyclists
are a very dedicated group of people. When you combine them with The
American Legion Family, you create a win/win situation. |
Guyer-Carignan Post 22
