State Legacy Runs again deliver big results for Legion Riders

In 2022, The American Legion Legacy Run raised a record $1,324,548 – the eighth time the Legacy Run has surpassed $1 million. Success like that happens through the hard work of the American Legion Riders and the entire Legion Family and is a biproduct of a continually growing endeavor: the state Legacy Run.

Departments across the nation stage their own in-state rides to benefit The American Legion Legacy Scholarship Fund, some having done so for more than a decade and others have started in the past few years.

It was in 2016 when the American Legion Department of Maryland started what is now the Maryland Gold Star Legacy Run. In its first year, the ride brought in $13,500. That amount continued to grow yearly, all the way up to $137,000 a year ago.

But then came 2023, when Overlea-Perry Hall ALR Chapter 130 member and Gold Star Legacy Run Co-Chairman Joe Gladden was able to present the Department of Maryland with a check for $210,000, courtesy of this year’s ride.

Gladden, who served as Sons of The American Legion National Commander from 2013 to 2014, said he never expected the ride to generate the fundraising totals it has. “In the beginning, hitting $25,000 would have been incredible,” he said. “But I really think a little bit of the competition we’ve added … had made a difference.”

That “competition” involves posts and their Legion Family members. The post which 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.

This year, Laurel Post 60’s Legion Family donated around $51,000, narrowly edging out La Plata Post 82, which donated more than $50,600. Of Post 82’s donation, $34,000 came from its Riders chapter.

“We were actually presented $50,000 on the ride in Laurel,” Gladden said. “That was incredible. And even if you take away the two top donors, we were still over $100,000, which is incredible. We had eight other Legion Families that donated over $5,000.”

The three-day ride featured stops at eight American Legion posts and multiple veterans memorials and cemeteries, and covered more than 500 miles.

“I can’t thank everyone enough for all the funds raised, the participation on the ride that happened, and the hospitality shown by The American Legion,” said Gladden.

Moving just a bit south, the sixth annual Virginia Legacy Run had its best year ever, bringing in more than $102,000. Ride chairman/founder Randy “BB” Gunn said that number could rise as donations continue to come in.

“I set a goal last October to make $100,000. I never thought I’d get it,” said Gunn, a member of American Legion Post 284 in Colonial Heights and an advisory consultant to the department’s American Legion Riders Subcommittee. “I just thought I’d set a goal so we at least had something to shoot for. And we surpassed that.”

Gunn had more than 300 participants sign up for the ride prior to the registration deadline, but he accepted another 64 after registration closed. Around 30 more riders and participants joined the ride along the way, bringing this year’s total registrants to 394. Nearly 50 of those were from out of state.

“That’s an honor to me and an honor to the cause,” Gunn said. “They can go anywhere they want and ride. When you’re able to attract that many people from out of state, you’re doing something right.”

The two-day ride moved up and down Virginia’s Eastern Shore, stopping at two American Legion posts along the way. Gunn again implemented multiple fundraisers prior to and during the ride, leading to the hefty donation total.

“When we first started doing this, I was hoping we could raise $5,000,” Gunn said. “We raised $25,000, and it continues to grow. I’m lucky. I’ve got a lot of good people committed to me. That’s a good feeling.”

The following are wrap-ups of how a few other in-state Legacy Runs faired this year. Departments who staged rides this year are urged to share their stories and photos in the Legion Riders section of Legiontown.

California

The California Legacy Run took place May 5-7 and traveled 660 miles, with stops at seven American Legion posts, three veterans memorials and the California Veterans Home in Ventura before wrapping up at the Purple Heart Memorial in Capitol Park in Sacramento. Through July 23, the ride already had raised $64,491, with donations coming in until Aug. 2.

Kansas

The eighth annual Kansas Legacy Run had 32 riders and 40 participants, ran over four days and 750 miles, and raised more than $22,000. Past and current department American Legion Family leadership was there to support the effort. Department Vice Commander Angela Evans even rode on the back of the motorcycle of Past Department Commander and American Legion Rider Jeremy Ehart the final two days of the ride.

This year’s ride was dedicated to longtime Kansas American Legion Rider Dave Schoonover, who was a member of Lysle Rishel Post 68 in Hutchinson and passed away following a motorcycle accident on the way to the kickoff of the 2022 national Legacy Run. A bench honoring Schoonover was placed in front of Post 68 and donated by his sister, Cindy Dole.

Michigan

The Department of Michigan’s 17th state Legacy Run raised nearly $79,000, with more donations expected to come in before the 2023 American Legion National Convention.

Missouri

It was another successful state ride for Missouri’s American Legion Riders, with more than $66,000 raised so far. It’s the department’s ninth state Legacy Run; this year’s ride included five Arkansas Legion Riders, who raised $2,169 to donate with their department total. Riders also participated from other departments, including Tennessee, Mississippi, Oklahoma and Kansas.

A total of 87 motorcycles and 119 participants registered for the ride, which traveled 618 miles over three days.

North Carolina

The Department of North Carolina held its fourth annual Legacy Ride April 27-29, traversing 650 miles and making stops at 14 American Legion posts – including the state’s western-most post (Post 96 in Murphy) and the highest (Post 370 in Highlands). Riders also conducted a ceremonial wreath laying at the Western Carolina Veterans Cemetery in Black Mountain at Veterans Park on the Eastern Band Cherokee Indian Reservation.

The participants battled rain and were accompanied on the final day by American Legion National Vice Commander Patricia Harris. After a stop at Keeter Stadium, home of the American Legion World Series, the ride wrapped up at Post 147 in Rockingham, raising nearly $14,000 for the Legacy Fund.

South Carolina

South Carolina’s 12th state Legacy Run was the best yet, with more than $78,000 raised. Around 100 participants and more than 85 motorcycles took part in the two-day ride, which was altered a bit this year.

“In the past, we’ve always met at a location on a Friday and then rode together,” South Carolina State ALR Director Andy Powell said. “We break up into groups of around 20 and ride to points and a final destination on Saturday, and then on Sunday we get up and ride again as groups to the state capital in Columbia.

“The problem with that is for those us that still work, you have to take a day off on Friday. Everybody on the ride has two hotel bills they have to pay, plus food. So, this year we developed a plan so that everybody in a given area would meet on Saturday morning and ride as that group. We all met at (Post 125 in Cowpens) Saturday evening, and then did the same group ride to Columbia.”

The South Carolina Legacy Run has raised more than $651,000 in 12 years.

Registration for the 2023 National Legacy Run runs through Aug. 9. Register online here.