Over 250 Motorcyclists Expected To Finish Fundraiser Ride In Oak Creek

OAK CREEK, WI — Over 250 motorcyclists are expected to conclude a 1,150-mile ride at the American Legion Post 434 in Oak Creek on Aug. 25 as part of the Legion's 2022 Legacy Run, according to organizers.

The group plans to arrive that afternoon after a 5-day trip across the country, which begins in Mobile, Alabama on Aug. 21. The American Legion's 2022 National Convention is then set to begin in Milwaukee the day after. The ride is an annual event that raises money for a scholarship fund benefitting the children of disabled veterans and fallen military personnel who served after 9/11, according to a news release from American Legion Riders.

The event is entering its 16th year, but this will be the first time it ends in Oak Creek at American Legion Post 434, organizer Steven Kohnke told Patch. The American Legion National Convention was last held in Wisconsin in 2010.

Medal of Honor Recipient Gary Wetzel will greet the riders arrival in Oak Creek, according to the news release. Wetzel earned the honor after serving in the Vietnam War, according to the Congressional Medal of Honor Society.

Despite being critically wounded by enemy rockets, Wetzel returned to position to fight and persisted in attempting to give aid to his fellow injured crewman, according to the CMOHS.

Some of the riders participating will be arriving back to their home state at the end of the run. Many of the other riders will likely still have a long ride home ahead of them after the convention, Kohnke said.

Paul Dillard, American Legion's national commander, encouraged people to join the riders along the route and show support.

"Wave a flag or join us at one of our many stops," Dillard said in the news release. "With over 250 motorcycles carrying the spirit of America, you'll hear us roar through as we ride for the children of our nation's heroes."

The ride also aims to raise awareness of veteran suicide, the subject of a new Be The One campaign from the American Legion. The initiative seeks to destigmatize asking for mental health support, and provide safe spaces and resources for veterans to be honest about the silent wounds of war, the news release said.