American Legion Riders
     Mount Joy, Pa.
                             Post 185

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Membership


Membership Requirements
Requirements are pretty straightforward.
To become a member,
you must...
  • Be a current member in good standing of the American Legion, American Legion Auxiliary or Sons of the American Legion.
  • Own a motorcycle of at least 350cc and posses a valid drivers license in your state of residence.
  • Or be the legal spouse of an ALR member in good standing within the chapter of application.
If you are not a member and would like to join click on the links below:
Meetings are held on the 2nd Sunday of each month
Next meeting Feburary 13, 2011 @ 11:30am

Legion Riders invite new members to "Ride for a Cause"                                                                                               
                                                                                                                                                                                                                             




This is an article that was printed in one of the local papers on Feb. 1oth 2010
           

Photo by Krista Hurley
The Legion Riders at Mount Joy’s Walter S. Ebersole American Legion Post 185, including (from left) president Fred Gerfin, Frankie Buchanan, and Todd Griffith, invite members from posts in the surrounding areas that do not have Legion Riders programs to join their group while still remaining members of their original posts.

By Krista Hurley


In April of 2008, Walter S. Ebersole American Legion Post 185, located in Mount Joy, launched its Legion Riders program. Since then, the group has grown to 24 members and is seeking more.

Legion Riders president Fred Gerfin noted that individuals who wish to become members must own a motorcycle and be eligible to be a member of the American Legion, the Sons of the American Legion, or the Auxiliary. He explained that individuals are eligible for membership in any of the three organizations if they or their family members served in the military. Because not all posts have Legion Riders programs, membership in Post 185’s Legion Riders program is open to members of other posts.

The group’s current members hail from Mount Joy and the surrounding areas, but some travel from even more distant places to participate in activities.

“I have to go on a ride just to get to the ride (organized by the Legion Riders),” joked Legion Rider Todd Griffith. He said that his 94-mile trip is well worth it.

While members of the Legion Riders do enjoy themselves on various scheduled motorcycle rides throughout the year, the group is not entirely about enjoyment. Legion Rider Frankie Buchanan penned the group’s slogan, “Always riding for a cause.”

“We don’t want to be just a group of guys and girls on bikes,” Gerfin explained. “We decided that we want to focus (our fundraising efforts) on veterans and the community.”

A new fundraising effort, Bike Nights, which will benefit local nonprofit organizations, is currently in the works. The plan is for the event to be scheduled monthly beginning in April.

Griffith said that each Bike Night will feature vendors and will allow attendees to admire each other’s motorcycles. Buchanan added, “Bike Nights (are) pretty much another place where bikers can come and have fun ... and make new friends.”

The group will also get involved with the Adopt-A-Highway program this spring, taking charge of keeping a two-mile stretch of Route 283 clean, beginning at the Rheems/Elizabethtown exit and moving eastward.

For the second year, the Legion Riders have scheduled their Fisher House Ride, which will be open to the public. Fisher Houses provide lodging for families near military hospitals. The inaugural ride raised $10,000 for the house in Pittsburgh.

This year’s ride will hit close to home. When Legion Riders secretary Sharon Joyce was injured in a motorcycle accident in November, she was hospitalized in Richmond for a time, and her family benefited from the services of a Fisher House. Joyce is currently continuing her recovery in Hershey. The Legion Riders decided to show their support by donating the proceeds from this year’s Fisher House Ride to the Richmond facility so that it can install a patio and grilling area. Gerfin noted that the group’s goal is to raise $12,000.

The upcoming Fisher House Ride has been scheduled for Saturday, May 15, with registration opening at 9:30 a.m. and the ride beginning at 11:30 a.m. Registration will be by donation, with all proceeds going to the Richmond Fisher House. The 80-mile ride will take attendees to various posts in Dauphin, Lancaster, and York counties to collect funds that each post has donated to the Fisher House.

The Legion Riders meet at Walter S. Ebersole American Legion Post 185, 255 W. Main St., Mount Joy, on the second Sunday of each month at 11:30 a.m. Weather permitting, members often take their motorcycles out for a spin following the meetings.






Challenge Coins & Rules



The tradition of a challenge is the most common way to ensure that members are carrying their Chapters coin. The rules of a challenge are not always formalized for a chapter, and may vary between organizations. The challenge only applies to those members that have been given a coin formally by their President. This may lead to some controversy when challenges are initiated between members of different organizations and is not recommended. The tradition of the coin challenge is meant to be a source of morale in a chapter, and forcing the challenge can cause a reverse effect.
The challenge, which can be made at any time, begins with the challenger drawing his/her coin, waving it in the air or slapping or placing the coin on the table or bar. In noisy environs, continuously rapping the challenge coin on a surface may initiate the challenge. If the coin is visible to another member a challenge can be recognized by that member. (Accidentally dropping a challenge coin is considered to be a deliberate challenge to all present.) Everyone being challenged must immediately produce the coin for their organization and anyone failing to do so must buy a round of drinks for the challenger and everyone else who has their challenge coin. However, should everyone challenged be able to produce their coin, the challenger must buy a round of drinks for the group.
While most holders of challenge coins usually carry them in their pockets or in some other readily accessible place on their persons, the rules permit a challenged person "a step and a reach" to show their coin. Coins left outside or on a bike constitutes not having your coin.
If you are able to steal a challenge coin, everyone in the group must buy you a drink..
Once a challenge is made there can not be another challenge made that day until a new member joins the group and he/she makes a challenge without knowing there already was a challenge made previously.
A lost coin will cost the person losing it a $10.00 penalty to the Chapter and the cost of another coin.
Coins can only be issued by the Chapter President.
Coins available are Marine Corp, Army, Navy, Air Force, Coast Guard, POW/ MIA and KIA. All will have the Legion Rider logo on the flip side.


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