Legacy Run breaks donation goal

The five previous Legacy Runs have combined to raise more than $2 million for The American Legion Legacy Scholarship Fund. Add more than $600,000 to that total.

This year's run, which started in Indianapolis on Aug. 21 and traveled more than 1,200 miles across four states before winding up in Minneapolis, had a donation goal of $450,000. In the end, $642,666 was generated for the Legacy Scholarship Fund.

More than $344,000 was raised prior to and during the Run; another $298,029 was donated on stage Tuesday afternoon during The American Legion National Convention in Minneapolis. The departments of Minnesota and Georgia each raised more than $30,000 for this year's Run.

"I know that in this economy, a lot of you could divert this money to other things that you need," said National Commander Jimmie L. Foster, who traveled with the riders during the entire Run and rode a leg of it on the back of a motorcycle. "Thank you for this."

The American Legion Legacy Scholarship Fund provides college financial support for children of servicemembers killed on active duty on or after Sept. 11, 2001.