Monthly Archives: April 2021

PVR Bulletin – May 2021

Florida Legion Riders… The Road to #EndVeteranSuicide!

For the entire month of April, the Florida Legion Riders fully devote themselves to support PROJECT: VetRelief’s Suicide Prevention Initiative through their Round Robin. Riders are encouraged to join forces to rack up miles as they ride to End Veteran Suicide. All their efforts are translated into a pointing system to award the Top District with the coveted trophy.

As a part of that event, over 160 Legion Riders signed up to attend a week-long motorcycle ride called the Unity Ride. They divided into two groups, or routes, to cover as much ground as possible. They explored Florida’s less traveled roads and each Rider logged over 1,000 miles. Along the way, nearly 40 American Legion Posts opened their doors to allow them to rest, eat and contributed to their cause.

At the end of the week, both routes met at American Legion Post 10 in Kissimmee, FL to celebrate their accomplishments at the State Rally. Other Riders joined in their celebration for a full day of music, food and fun!

ALR Chairman and PVR Board Vice President, Jim Wineland, set a goal to raise more than the $60,000 they received during last year’s virtual event. We are still tallying the results from all their hard work, but we can officially say they have more than surpassed that mark!!

Both routes found ways to raise additional cash by doing things like engaging in friendly bidding wars for the “It’s Jim’s Fault” patches, or we even heard there were pushup contests.

The Florida American Legion Riders have been one of PROJECT: VetRelief’s largest supporters throughout the years and have always taken on any challenge, or competition, to support veterans in any capacity. We certainly are grateful for all their hard work and dedication they continually provide for our veteran community!

And, although their motto is “For the Cause, Not the Applause”, we think they truly deserve a standing ovation for what they have been able to accomplish!!

DONATE NOW: http://bit.ly/URdonate

Department Convention… Getting Back to “Normal”

During the upcoming American Legion, Department of Florida Convention in July, we will be revealing how we will ease back into our normal application process, provide an update on our
program’s growth, and introduce you to our strategic partners through the Suicide Prevention Initiative.

The coronavirus pandemic has made things somewhat chaotic this past year, and we know that’s putting it lightly! Thankfully, our program was able to make quick decisions, adapt to the new
CDC guidelines, and still meet the increased demand of our veteran community.

As a result of that, we were forced to forego the VetRelief Advocate interview portion of the financial assistance process and our program is now facing a shortage of funds. As the world continues to open back up and things become more safe, we need to get back to our “normal”; focusing on our fundraising, and relying on our Advocates again.

Our VetRelief Advocates mean a lot to us, and we are so eager to see each and every one of you! Please be sure to be on the look out for our Convention activities, classes and presentations.

We hope to see you there!

PVR Bulletin – April 2021

Florida Legion Riders… Looking to surpass last year’s total of $60,734 to end veteran suicide!

The Florida Legion Riders kicked off their registration for this year’s Unity Ride and State Rally. This event is a week-long motorcycle ride geared towards raising funds and awareness for PROJECT: VetRelief’s Suicide Prevention Initiative.

Last year’s event was altered due to the coronavirus pandemic. The annual in-person event was switched to a virtual ride. However, the Legion Riders knew their veteran community was counting on them and took on the challenge and was still able to raise over $60,000. They want to raise more this year, and it will take your help for them to do so!

The Unity Ride will be split into two routes: North and South. Each route will include a Meet & Greet on April 18th and officially begin the next day. The NORTH ROUTE will start in Pensacola and the SOUTH ROUTE in Marathon, FL. Both routes will stop at Posts along the way collecting donations and will end in Kissimmee on Friday, April 23rd. Hotels can be booked through AAA by calling Kelly Krupinsky at 904-543-6866.

We hope everyone will sign up and join the Legion Riders in their efforts to end veteran suicide. Once you’re registered, we encourage you to create your fundraising page. The more funds you raise the more COOL PRIZES you’ll earn.

If you are unable to attend the actual ride, we will have the Virtual Rider ($5) option. You can ride at least 22 miles and post a photo on your social media account using #iRideforthe22. Virtual Riders will be eligible for the COOL PRIZES, too.

The State Rally will be on Saturday, April 24th at Post 10 in Kissimmee, FL. Tickets are $20 each and can be purchased using the registration link. You can still also raise funds and earn the COOL PRIZES. Please note, if you register for the Unity Ride, entry to the State Rally is also INCLUDED. There is no need to purchase a Rally Ticket, too.

Challenge 22 Events… Kudos to Board Members on Their Events

Thank you for everyone who attended last month’s Challenge 22 Events at American Legion Post 69 in Avon Park and Jacksonville Beach hosted by the 5th District. Two successful events to raise awareness for veteran suicide!

Both events were well attended and included vendors from Veteran Service Organizations and companies who provided Veteran benefits. Additionally, they each featured an awareness walk for Veteran suicide, attendees heard from expert speakers explaining warning signs and symptoms of mental health, including Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD).Many of our SPI strategic partners were also in attendance.

Congratulations to Board Members, Jim Wineland and Larry Roberts, and their teams for putting together such great events!