This weekend, Newberry will see hundreds of motorcycles downtown and at the American Legion, and they are here for a cause.
More than 500 riders will participate in a two-day group ride—the 3rd Annual American Legion Riders Hell to Paradise trip—and they are raising awareness and funds for veterans and first responders suffering with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
The trip takes place on Friday, July 24, and Saturday, July 25. It is an American Legion Riders event, one of the branches making up the American Legion Family. There are chapters all over the country with Post 74 of Newberry having its very own chapter.
There are countless veterans and first responders throughout the country battling with PTSD after experiencing and witnessing life threating events from warfare and serious accidents.
Ride organizer Scott Igo, a member of American Legion Post 3 in Sault Ste, Marie, recognizes this, and he kept having an idea to help those who are suffering. “You are living in your own personal hell with PTSD,” said Igo. “Having a happy place to see yourself without demons is your own personal Paradise.”
And that’s how the ride was born—having motorcycles ride from Hell, Michigan to Paradise, Michigan to raise awareness, make connections with others who have PTSD and raising funds for Michigan-based organizations who help those affected by PTSD.
“It really worked out having both a town of Hell and Paradise in Michigan,” Igo said.
This year’s funds go to The Heroes Operation, a 501c3 organization helping veterans and first responders and Talons Out Honor Flight, who flies WWII, Korea and Vietnam Veterans to Washington D.C.
Igo says there will be approximately 500 riders this year. The ride cost participants $35 each with a passenger at $20 per person.
The ride begins at the American Legion Post #510 in Stockbridge and will head north across the Mackinac Bridge to the U.P. They’ll reach Newberry Saturday morning.
The American Legion Post 74 membership will welcome the riders when they arrive in Newberry Saturday morning. At Post 74, the group will stay for a lunch provided by the post. “Newberry American Legion Post 74 is honored to be included in this PTSD Run and provide the lunch,” said Post 74 Commander Leo Saint Germaine, who is also a member of the Newberry Chapter of Legion Riders.
Saint Germaine also encourages the community to line the streets to cheer on the riders as they leave for Paradise. “They are more than welcome to come out and see all the bikes,” said Saint Germaine. The group departs the Legion at approximately 12:45 and will head north on M-123 through downtown Newberry shortly after.
The riders will be at the Legion beginning about 11 a.m. and Igo said that people are welcome to stop by the post while they are here if anyone would like to learn more about the ride and see what the group does.
From Newberry, the group will travel to Paradise where a ceremony will take place at the township hall around 1:30 p.m. “Anyone who has lost somebody in the battle of PTSD—their name is said out loud and allows those names to be in Paradise,” Igo said.
Many people suffering with PTSD feel alone, Igo said, and the comradery of the ride shows that those who are suffering are not alone.
“We have 500 people on this ride—that shows you that you are not alone…there are 22 veterans per day who commit suicide over PTSD,” Igo said. “We are trying to get that number down.”
After leaving Paradise, the group will travel to Sault Ste Marie, where a parade will take place downtown. Their awards banquets and check presentations will take place at Kewadin Casinos later that night ending this year’s ride.
