Proceeds from the 9th annual Ride for the Heroes benefits veterans and families of fallen heroes
The Times
Rotary Club of Central Bucks presented more than $30,000 in grants to local organizations that serve veterans and families of fallen heroes at a reception held on Dec. 4 at the Plumsteadville Inn.
The funds were raised at the club’s 9th annual Ride for the Heroes and Picnic, held in June. The Heroes is a police-escorted motorcycle ride through the Bucks County countryside and parts of New Jersey. The 2018 ride was cancelled due to rain but the picnic went on as scheduled with more than 200 people participating. Since the ride started, more than $280,000 has been donated to local organizations.
Grants were awarded to 11 organizations whose missions range from sending out care packages to active duty military personnel to providing equine therapy to veterans. The organizations that were awarded funds are:
- Bucks County Veterans Transport — provides transportation for Bucks County veterans to the Philadelphia and Coatesville Veterans Hospitals
- Gold Star Mothers — members are mothers whose children died during active duty in the military
- Good To Go Care Packages — mission is to provide care packages to active duty military personnel
- Meghan’s Foundation — provides free yoga and meditation programs to veterans who are experiencing symptoms of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder
- Operation Eternal Gratitude — a student group at Central Bucks High School South that performs service projects on behalf of veterans and assembles care packages for current members of the military
- Operation Homefront — mission is to build strong, stable and secure military families through relief, resiliency and recurring support
- Delaware Valley Stand Down — a nonprofit volunteer organization formed to provide assistance to homeless veterans
- Shamrock Reins — provides equine therapy to veterans, their families and first responders
- Tails of Valor — provides service dogs to veterans suffering from Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, Traumatic Brain Injury and physical disabilities
- Bucks County Tour of Honor — raises funds to transport United States military veterans from the Bucks County area to Washington, D.C. to visit memorials, buildings and other places that promote and represent the ideals of the United States of America
- Travis Manion Foundation — mission is to empower veterans and families of fallen heroes to develop character in future generations
“This is the night that brings Ride for the Heroes full-circle, as we get to present proceeds from the event to a group of well-deserving organizations that help veterans and families of fallen heroes in our local communities,” said Chris Lewis, a member of Rotary Club of Central Bucks and event organizer. “It is an honor to work with all those who volunteer to make our Ride for the Heroes such a successful event. We are committed to our veterans and the Rotary motto of ‘service above self.’”
