Bemidji Ride for the Troops marks 20 years with unity, fundraising

Ride for the Troops rolled out of the Bemidji Eagles Club on Sunday, June 7, with 178 registered participants and a clear message that the ride was about more than motorcycles. The 20th annual event brought together riders, veterans and supporters for a four-county route, a pre-ride ceremony and a full day of fundraising tied to local veteran support.

The schedule at the Bemidji Eagles Club, 1270 Neilson Ave. SE, started with a buffet breakfast from 9:00 to 10:30 a.m., followed by recognition awards at 10:30 a.m. The national anthem ran from 10:57 to 10:59 a.m., kickstands went up at 11:00 a.m., and the ride returned between 3:00 and 5:00 p.m. for more awards, food and drinks. The weekend also included a pre-ride dinner Friday, a car show Saturday and live music, giving the fundraiser a wider community draw beyond the highway miles.

Ride for the Troops describes itself as a Minnesota motorcycle charity ride supporting veterans, active military and military families through community fundraising events. Organizers say proceeds fund assistance for local servicemen and women and the veteran programs they rely on, a practical role that matters in a county where transportation, mobility and steady support can shape daily life for older veterans and those coping with service-related needs.

That practical side was visible in a Minnesota Department of Veterans Affairs post that said Ride for the Troops’ Bemidji chapter donated an electric golf cart to the Bemidji Veterans Home. The gift pointed to the kind of help the group can provide outside the annual ride, especially for a population that often needs reliable, low-barrier mobility support.

The event also carried a longer community history. Coverage of the ride has said it began as a way to support National Guard members called up in the early Iraq War and now serves all veterans. Earlier rides have drawn strong turnouts, including more than 300 motorcyclists at the 14th annual event and 243 bikes counted by Marketplace Foods during the 16th annual ride. In 2025, the route returned to the “Longest Ride” format, while a 2024 ride stopped at the Knutson Zerkel Store in Zerkel for food, beverages and live music before ending back at the Bemidji Eagles Club.

After 20 years, Ride for the Troops remains one of Bemidji’s most durable civic fundraisers, pairing ceremony with cash for veteran services and keeping local attention on the needs that do not end when the engines are shut off.