National motorcycle ride kicks off in Virginia and wraps up in Tampa, Fla., raising funds for the Veterans & Children Foundation along the way.
One of the largest American Legion Legacy Runs in recent years hits the road Aug. 17, leaving Southern Virginia and traveling 815 miles over five days to just outside of Tampa, the site of the 2025 American Legion National Convention.
Around 315 motorcycles and another 49 passengers have registered for the ride, which will travel through North Carolina, South Carolina and Georgia while fundraising for The American Legion Veterans & Children Foundation (VCF). The procession of motorcycles normally spans around three and a half miles but is expected to extend out to four this year.
American Legion Riders from across the nation will converge on American Legion Post 8 in South Boston to register for the ride on Aug. 16. The next morning the ride will depart from the post for what will be a busy five days, with multiple stops each day, before finishing up at Harley-Davidson of Wesley Chapel in Lutz, Fla.
Daily Legacy Run highlights include:
· Aug. 17 (all North Carolina) – A lunch stop at Post 382 in Sanford, a stop at Fort Bragg Harley-Davidson in Fayetteville and attending a Carolina League Fayetteville Woodpeckers baseball game, where American Legion National Commander James LaCoursiere Jr. will throw out the first pitch.
· Aug. 18 – Wreath laying at the USS North Carolina Battleship Memorial in Wilmington, N.C.; and end-of-day stop at American Legion Post 186 in Little River, S.C.
· Aug. 19 – Stop at the USS Yorktown at the Patriots Point Naval & Maritime Museum in Mount Pleasant, S.C.
· Aug. 20 – Lunch in Hinesville, Ga., courtesy of the Liberty Chamber of Commerce and American Legion Post 168; stop at Post 401 in Hilliard, Fla.; and wreath laying at the Jacksonville, Fla., POW/MIA Memorial Park.
· Aug. 21 – Ride finishes up at Harley-Davidson of Wesley Chapel.
In additional to LaCoursiere, Sons of The American Legion National Commander Joseph Navarrete and American Legion Auxiliary National President Trish Ward also will take part in portions of the ride.
In 2024, the Legacy Run raised approximately $930,000 for the VCF, including $155,000 from the Department of Maryland’s Gold Star Legacy Run and $114,000 from the Virginia Legacy Run.
Through VCF funding, the Legion’s Temporary Financial Assistance grants feed and house children of military personnel and veterans facing urgent, unexpected hardships. These grants prevent eviction, keep the power on and fulfill basic needs to hold a family together through difficult times.
The VCF also covers training and accreditation costs for American Legion claims experts who provide free representation for veterans and families applying for disability benefits, survivor assistance, GI Bill opportunities and more.
For more information about the 2025 Legacy Run, click here.
Follow the 2025 Legacy Run on social media using the hashtag #LegacyRun2025 on Facebook, X, Instagram and LinkedIn.
Those Legion Riders participating in the Legacy Run who ride a Harley-Davidson are encouraged to sign up for the 2025 Let’s Ride Challenge™ – Ride for Heroes as soon as possible. As a statement of gratitude, Harley-Davidson is donating $1 million among nine veteran riding groups – including the American Legion Riders – and is asking riders to log their miles with authorized Harley-Davidson® dealerships. The more miles logged by Legion Riders and their supporters, the larger the donation.
- Riders