May 22, 2013
The Membership department at VFW National Headquarters joined local VFW members in Concordia, Mo., to pay tribute to motorcyclists participating in the annual cross-country “Run for the Wall” motorcycle ride.
Between 300 and 400 riders made a pit stop in Concordia as they journeyed to the Vietnam Memorial in Washington, D.C., to honor veterans of past and current wars who never made it back home.
Flags lined the road as members of the community cheered for the riders as they entered town.
To show their appreciation to the riders, community members provided a picnic lunch featuring music and vendors. Concordia VFW Post 5649 set up a booth where the picnic was held, and Post members expressed their gratitude to the riders and even signed up new VFW members.
Representatives from Gail’s Harley Davidson attended the event and offered assistance to those experiencing minor bike problems.
Before the riders hit the road again, the VFW covered nearly $5,000 in gas for every biker to fill his tank. “Every rider continues down the road with a full tank of fuel knowing the VFW honors and supports them and their brothers and sisters who never made it back from Vietnam,” says Corey Cornett, the VFW’s Associate Director of Membership. The VFW has sponsored the fuel stop for several years.
As the riders rode out of town, local residents lined Main Street to give them a proper send-off.
The annual event is one the VFW plans to continue participating in. “Supporting the ‘Run for the Wall’ is a great way to let the riders, who are nearly all veterans, know that the Veterans of Foreign Wars supports what they’re doing. It allows us to speak with hundreds of veterans and prospective members and let them know what the VFW is all about,” says Cornett.