In its 10th Gold Star Legacy Run, which starts June 5, Maryland is approaching $1 million raised for the national Legacy Run.
As Sons of The American Legion national commander from 2013 to 2014, Maryland’s Joe Gladden made The American Legion Legacy Scholarship Fund his commander’s project. But when his tenure came to an end, he wanted to continue to raise funds for the scholarship program.
That led to the creation of the Maryland Gold Star Legacy Run, a state version of the national Legacy Run. And over the course of nine rides, the Maryland Legion Family has raised $765,000 – $610,000 for the Legacy Fund and then $155,000 last year for the Veterans & Children Foundation (VCF), which now is the focus of the national Legacy Run.
On Thursday, June 5, the 10th annual Gold Star Legacy Run will depart from Overlea-Perry Hall Post 130 in Perry Hall and traverse more than 758 miles over four days, finishing up in Cascade at American Legion Post 239. More than 70 motorcycles and around 90 passengers will have the opportunity to travel along the state’s Eastern Shore and also ride through the mountains of the western part of Maryland.
Gladden, co-chairman of the ride and a charter member of American Legion Riders Chapter 22 in Towson, Md., said he never expected to see the Gold Star Legacy Run deliver the results it has – especially recently. The Department of Maryland has been the top donor to the Legacy Run over the past two years, delivering $210,000 in 2023 and $155,000 last year.
“I knew I wanted to continue raising money for the Legacy Scholarship Fund,” said Gladden, commander of Overlea-Perry Hall ALR Squadron 130. “I got with (Gold Star Legacy Run Co-Chairman John Horner, a fellow Chapter 22 Rider) about it. We raised like $13,500. And then the next year $25,000 was like a dream. But I think it was like $39,000 raised. But I never dreamt we’d raised the kind of money we have.”
Funds are generated through the ride by registration fees, the selling of Maryland Gold Star Legacy Run challenge coins and through a competition created between posts throughout the state. The post that donates the most through its American Legion Family receives two plaques – one they get to keep permanently and another that their nameplate will be placed upon, along with previous winners, that they get to keep for one year.
It's led to some impressive donation numbers at the post level. In 2023 Laurel Post 60’s Legion Family donated around $51,000, narrowly edging out La Plata Post 82, which donated more than $50,600.
“A few years ago, I was like, ‘How can I get people to compete against each other,’” Gladden said. “That really kind of spurred some competition. That’s been a big reason for us getting some big numbers out of posts.”
Gladden said after the national Legacy Run transitioned to fundraising for the VCF, it was important to educate the Legion Riders on how critical that fund is. 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.
“I laid the groundwork on the last year (raising money for the Legacy Fund) about moving to the VCF,” Gladden said. “The Legacy Fund was an easy sell – ‘For the kids.’ The children of our fallen soldiers and the children of our disabled veterans.
“The VCF, it’s really about educating people about what it’s doing and what it’s all about. Getting people to understand what the impact of that is to veterans and children. It’s been a part of this process.”
In between the kickoff in Perry Hall and finish in Cascade, this year’s ride will make stops at Sgt. Preston Ashley Post 228 in Rock Hall, Talbot Post 70 in Easton, Synepuxent Post 166 in Ocean City, Dor-Wic Post 218 in Sharptown, Jeff Davis Post 18 in Centreville, Kent Island Post 278 in Stevensville, Francis Scott Key Post 11 in Frederick, Proctor-Kildow American Legion Post 71 in Oakland, Fort Cumberland Post 13 in Cumberland and Clopper-Michael Post 10 in Boonsboro.
The ride also will cross the state line into Pennsylvania to lay a wreath at the Flight 93 National Memorial in Stoystown, Pa.
Gladden hopes this year’s ride can bring the total raised over 10 years to $1 million, which would mean raising $235,000. He knows that’s a tall order, but he also never thought the ride would produce what it already has.
“From one respect, it’s kind of unbelievable we’ve been able to do this,” he said. “It’s truly unbelievable the support we’ve gotten, and it makes you feel incredible that people are believing in what you believe in. And even if it takes 11 years (to hit $1 million raised), it’s still an incredible number.”
- Riders