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American Legion Post 127 Sugar Hill

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American Legion Riders

American Legion Riders chapters are well known for their charitable work, which has raised hundreds of thousands of dollars for local children’s hospitals, schools, veterans homes, severely wounded servicemembers and scholarships. Since 2006, Riders nationwide have participated in The American Legion Legacy Run to annually raise money for the Legacy Scholarship Fund, established to provide scholarships to children of U.S. military personnel killed since Sept. 11, 2001.

History

In Garden City, Mich., in 1993, Chuck “Tramp” Dare and Bill “Polka” Kaledas, commander of American Legion Post 396, shared an idea to start a motorcycle enthusiasts association within the organization. The two longtime riders wanted an environment where Legion family members could come together to share a common love for motorcycles.

Dare and Kaledas wrote a letter to Michigan Department Adjutant Hubert Hess, sharing their idea. Hess replied that he liked the concept and wanted to pursue it. Later, he gave Kaledas and Dare instructions for managing the program at the post level. He also explained how they could be approved to use the American Legion emblem, and how to gain Membership’s support and recognition. At a regular meeting, Post 396 members passed a resolution for a new program to be known as the “American Legion Riders.”

Joined by 19 other founding members from their post, Dare and Kaledas were flooded with requests for information about their organization. They agreed to establish a central source for the Riders to ensure that chapters formed not as motorcycle clubs or gangs, but as Legionnaires and Auxiliary and SAL members joining to ride as Legion family.

Legion Riders Today

Currently, over 110,000 American Legion Riders meet in over 2,000 chapters in every domestic department and in at least three foreign countries. Riders in Iowa have formed an honor guard called The Five Star Freedom Riders, and Riders in Mulvane, Kan., founded the Patriot Guard to protect the sanctity of military funerals from protesters. Riders in all states have escorted military units returning home from overseas combat tours, conducted massive cross-country fundraising events for wounded warriors from all services, and raised millions of dollars for countless local, state, and national charities. Many Riders, supported by their departments, conduct annual statewide Legacy Runs in direct support of the American Legion scholarship programs of Operation Comfort Warriors (OCW), which support our wounded service members across the nation.

One of the fastest growing and most highly visible of the many programs offered by The American Legion, The American Legion Riders are a very diverse group, and so are the programs that they support. What do American Legion Riders do? The activities are far too many to mention in this space, but here are a few examples:

American Legion Riders chapters and districts, nationally have become some of the most generous donors for the American Legacy Scholarship Fund, raising as much as $5,000 or more in a single event.

Legion Riders participate in the annual POW/MIA Rally held each Memorial weekend in Washington D.C. known as "Rolling Thunder".

Legion Riders sponsor or participate in local and national charity events in support of the sponsoring American Legion Post.

Legion Riders ride to raise money for such organizations as local VA Hospitals, Battered Women and Children's Centers, Varied Children and Youth Programs, a School for Blind Children, Veterans Relief, Needy Families and many, many others.

Legion Riders founded a national movement called “Patriot Guard” that honors and protects the sanctity of military funerals and memorial services.

Legion Riders have formed special motorcycle Honor Guards and ceremonial teams highlighting the special bonds formed in military service and the motorcycling community.

Legion Riders have also begun to teach motorcycle and driver safety in the community and in schools in co-operation with ABATE and other national motorcycling organizations.

Remember: American Legion Riders are a very dedicated group of Legion Family members. When your Post or district sponsors a new Riders organization, you create a win/win situation for your Post, District, and Department!

“American Legion Riders as a National Program”

All American Legion Rider groups are programs supported by a Post or Department of The American Legion and uphold the declared principles of The American Legion as well as conform to and abide by the regulations and decisions of the Department, Post or other duly constituted Department governing body.

The following guidelines are followed by The ALR program of The American Legion:

  1. All members of The American Legion Riders shall be current members of The American Legion, American Legion Auxiliary or Sons of The American Legion.
  2. Each ALR member shall establish and maintain membership by owning, individually or through marriage, a motorcycle licensed and insured as required by state law.
  3. ALR programs may allow for continued membership for those members who have given up motorcycle ownership because of age, illness, injury, or other reasons outside the member’s control.
  4. All ALR members shall strive to maintain the image of The American Legion, at all times upholding The American Legion name and emblem, which symbolizes the integrity and principles of this great organization.
  5. All The ALR groups shall avoid the perception of being a “motorcycle club” or biker club”.
  6. The only recognized The American Legion Rider logo is that which is copyrighted and sold through The American Legion National Emblem sales.
  7. All Members will obey the motorcycle laws of their state.
  8. No use of rockers with the ALR patch because touching the patch violates trademark laws of the ALR patch.
  9. Sponsoring organization (Post and Department) will review liability insurance coverage to ensure that adequate coverage is available to cover the organization to include coverage for any specific special riding events.

Eligibility Requirements

For more information: www.legion.org/riders.