WarChild Riding Group
Sandy's Toddle Inn - Chaffee MO
Bikers Who Care – We Support:
Finding Cures – Saving Children
Free Spirit
Patriot Guard Riders Mission Statement
Notice - The PGR store is open since the first of the new year.
Thank you for your patience.
The Patriot Guard Riders is a diverse amalgamation of riders from across the nation. We have one thing in common besides motorcycles. We have an unwavering respect for those who risk their very lives for America’s freedom and security. If you share this respect, please join us.
We don’t care what you ride, what your political views are, or whether you’re a "hawk" or a "dove". It is not a requirement that you be a veteran. It doesn't matter where you’re from or what your income is. You don’t even have to ride. The only prerequisite is Respect.
Our main mission is to attend the funeral services of fallen American heroes as invited guests of the family. Each mission we undertake has two basic objectives.
1. Show our sincere respect for our fallen heroes, their families, and their communities.
2. Shield the mourning family and friends from interruptions created by any protestor or group of protestors.
We accomplish the latter through strictly legal and non-violent means.
Folks, this is not just important…
It’s what we do!
Join Us!
RD - SE Missouri Ride Captain
Stars & Stripes Museum
 This Dayin History |
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Over the last 139 years, millions of copies of The Stars and Stripes have been distributed throughout the world. And, it all began during the Civil War in the town of Bloomfield, located in southeast Missouri. It was here on November 9, 1861 that ten Illinois Union soldiers, using the vacated press of The Bloomfield Herald, published the first "Stars and Stripes" which they named after the American flag. One of the original copies of that 1861 paper is now owned by the Stoddard County Historical Society and to be put on loan with the museum. The Stars and Stripes flourished during each of the five major wars this country has fought. |
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During World War II, General George C. Marshall referred to The Stars and Stripes "as a symbol of the things we are fighting to preserve...free thought and free expression of a free people". Many famous people have been connected with The Stars and Stripes: Cartoonist Bill Mauldin; Andy Rooney and Steve Kroft of "Sixty Minutes" were former Striper's as was Harold K. Ross, founder of the New Yorker magazine. Grantland Rice, Ernie Pyle and other war correspondents have also contributed to the newspaper. Several former S & S staff members and various war veterans have donated personal letters, unpublished behind-the-scenes reports, back issues of The Stars and Stripes and other interesting war-related items to be displayed or filed as reference material. |
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All this history will be preserved. A Stars and Stripes Museum/Library with climate-controlled storage, handicapped accessibility, display and meeting rooms will be invaluable for research. The facility serves historians, students and writers, as well as the general public. |
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14th annual Charity Ride Across America
MERRILLVILLE -- What a sight!
NASCAR driver Kyle Petty led a motorcycle parade of 150 "friends" into town Tuesday during his 14th annual Charity Ride Across America.
All riders, men and women, sported red, long-sleeved shirts emblazoned with "Chick-fil A," prime sponsor of the event to raise money for children's charities.
They came across I-80-94 from Lombard, Ill., and down I-65 to a Shell station on U.S. 30 where fuel fillers, a police escort and eight porta-potties served the masses.
Also making this year's eight-day, 3,000-mile trip from Traverse City, Mich., to Savannah, Ga. (through 10 states) is ex-Dallas Cowboys running back Herschel Walker.
The Ride began in 1994 when Petty and four friends rode motorcycles from his North Carolina home to a NASCAR race in Phoenix. By the time they reached Arizona they had 30 bikers. For the last four years, the Victory Junction Gang Camp has been the main benefactor.
Petty and wife Patti, also riding, founded the North Carolina camp four years ago in honor of son Adam, killed in a racetrack crash in 2000. Petty wears a cap with Adam's No. 45.
The camp, complete with hospital and helicopter, enriches lives of kids with chronic or life-threatening illnesses like cancer. The couple plan to open a second camp in Kansas.
He said Adam "probably would be humbled by all this," adding having a child die early is "out of order. It's rough but I'm so proud of all the people that care."
Adam, a promising driver, was a fourth-generation racer. Kyle said he never tried to stop his son.
"What we do is a sport. We race. I grew up with it; my grandpa (Lee, an original stock-car driver) and dad (Richard, the 'King' of NASCAR) did it. I'm from the rural South; it's like being farmers. Racing's all we know; we don't want to break out of that cycle.
"I don't want to work 9-to-5," said Kyle who has earned eight poles and won eight races including the 1987 Coca Cola 600. He hasn't won since 1995; his last top-5 finish was third in 2007 at Lowe's Motor Speedway.
He also stays busy with the Petty Enterprises racing team and as commentator for the TNT network.
King Richard was to have been here but he'll join the Ride in North Carolina after a tiring week in Joliet where he celebrated the 50th anniversary of his first race. Known by his trademark hat and sunglasses, Richard did a meet-and-greet about 20 years ago at Illiana Speedway down U.S. 30.
"After riding from west to east so many times, we decided to go north to south," Petty said. Last year's Ride was from Maine to Florida.
"I just ride motorcycles; it's no big deal. The participants and contributors are the special people."
His Rides have raised $10.5 million total. Last year's ride allowed 80 children to spend five days at camp for free.
"Most special needs kids have no chance to go to summer camp. They fish, climb rocks, ride horses. It's like going to Disney World the first time," he said.
Sponsors and donors cover the $3,000 per camper per week cost.
Fellow driver Matt Kenseth and a pro golfer started this ride. A highlight was visiting the new Harley Davidson museum in Milwaukee.
After their pit stop the cycles zoomed down I-65 to Indianapolis and Tony Stewart country. Petty believes
"Tony will be good at managing his own team (as announced recently). He's an old-school guy who gives back to the sport. He'll create jobs. Now in his (racing) prime I wouldn't count him out of the (Sprint Cup) Chase."
The pony-tailed Petty did TV and media interviews, posed for photos and signed for folks including station employees (one T-shirt read "I'm not speeding, I'm qualifying.")
"I actually looked forward to coming to work today," said clerk Janie Meeks of Griffith.
He even took Laurel Canterbury's cell phone to wish a happy 16th birthday to her son Kyle in Portage.
Janice and Don Newcomb, a retired electrician, rode their cycles from Portage.
"We're motorcycle and NASCAR fans," she said, sporting a VJG camp shirt she bought at last year's stop in Danville, Ill. It has autographs of Kyle (twice), Patti, Walker and old-time racer Harry Gant.
This is Walker's third Ride. He has "about 18" motorcycles including a new one he built for this ride with his No. 34 on it.
"Some linebackers are a lot meaner than bikes," he said.
The Dallas resident has a son, 8, and owns a company that sells chicken to hotels, casinos and the military. The religious man said his company gives 15 percent to charity.
He's two pounds under his playing weight.
"I still train. No doubt I could play now," says the star who retired 10 years ago. He's done martial arts for 30 years and would like to pit former athletes vs. mixed martial arts stars.
"They say that (MMA) is the toughest sport; I'm not so sure," Walker said.
A friend of the Petty family, Walker said he "absolutely loved his first Ride. It's for a great cause."
He and Petty posed for photos with state troopers Brian White of Portage and Greg Eckrich of Munster who gave Petty an ISP cap and key chain.
"We appreciate what you're doing," Eckrich said.