American Legion Riders to help local veterans
The American Legion Riders will bring “Christmas in June’ to several veterans living in a Uniontown personal care home. The Riders, associated with the American Legion Post 301 in Connellsville, plan to visit the Laurel Ridge Center, 75 Hickle St., Uniontown, on the afternoon of Saturday, June 8, to bring presents to nine veterans who have no families.
“We’re all Legionaries,’ Ray Anthony of the Riders explained the group’s decision to become involved.
American Legion Riders was formed three months ago as a motorcycle association that’s affiliated with American Legion Post 301. The membership is open to veterans, sons of veterans, or the spouse of a veteran, and they have to belong to the Legion before they can become Riders, Anthony reported.
The organization has grown quickly from five to 24 members, also boosting membership in the Legion.
“Veterans are always welcome,’ Anthony said.
Involved in charity work, the Riders sponsor a ham and turkey shoot on the first Sunday of each month to fund their ventures.
Anthony said they have contributed $134 to an ABATE campaign to help a woman named Rayna Gowton in Mount Pleasant, who has cancer. The June 2 shoot will be donated to American Legion Youth Baseball.
This month’s donation is going to help veterans at the Laurel Ridge Center.
“We have a listing of homes in Fayette County with veterans. The Laurel Ridge Center in Uniontown has nine veterans. These are veterans who have no families,’ said Anthony.
The Riders have purchased gifts of sweatshirts, sweatpants, t-shirts, underwear and socks as well as toiletry items for each of these nine veterans. They will personally deliver the gifts, wrapped in red, white and blue, on June 8. The Riders will meet at the post in Connellsville at 1 p.m. and then travel together to Laurel Ridge, where they are expected at 2 p.m.
Laurel Ridge is arranging for the veterans to meet each other in a special gathering in their auditorium.
The program is true to the mission of the Riders.
Said Anthony, “What we’re about is supporting veterans.’