Chapter 612 in Pennsylvania conducts second annual Honor Ride and Picnic for area veterans resided in assisted-living facility.
A year ago, American Legion Riders Chapter 612 Road Captain Mike LaRusso wanted to create an event that honored local veterans in the area. That idea became the St. Thomas, Pa.-based chapters’ Veterans Honor Ride and Picnic.
More than 115 motorcycles – many Legion Riders from throughout the state and other motorcyclists just wanting to support the cause – took part in the 2024 event. And most recently, around 80 motorcycles took part in this year’s event on June 21.
Members of Chapter 612 and others met at Fayetteville Elementary School and rode en masse to Post 612, where they hosted a picnic for eight veterans who live in Paramount Health Resource Inc.’s senior living facility in Fayetteville.
LaRusso, who serves as Post 612’s adjutant, said when he first came up with the idea for the event, he visited two local assisted-living facilities to gauge their interest. He also pitched the idea to Chapter 612’s leadership and membership, and “everybody was thrilled with it,” LaRusso said. “And last year was such a success that I was like, ‘I want to make this an every year thing.’”
Last year’s event included two assisted-living facilities and totaled around 18 veterans, but a COVID-19 outbreak at Southmont of Presbyterian SeniorCare kept those veterans from attending this year.
“The ride is open to anyone, not just American Legion Riders,” LaRusso said. “My brother came from the other side of Harrisburg, which is an hour away, and he brought some guys with him. And even if you want to participate in a car, you can.”
American Legion Post 612 covers the cost of the food for the picnic, which this year included hamburgers hot dogs and sausage, baked beans, applesauce and soft drinks.
This year, LaRusso also reached out to Quilts of Honor and Blankets of Honor, two nonprofits that provide free handmade blankets and quilts to veterans. Both attended and presented quilts and blankets to all of the veterans from Paramount. Chapter 612 also had dog tags created with each of the veterans’ names and branches of service that were presented at the picnic. Each veteran also gets invited to stand up and talk about their time in the military.
LaRusso said the veterans who attended “are so overwhelmed. This year, especially, because of the blankets and the quilts and dog tags. They had tears in their eyes. It’s something I will never forget: the look on their face when their name was called and they were wrapped in a blanket or a quilt.”
- Riders