The American Legion Announces Schedule for Motorcycle Ride with Actor William Shatner to Raise Awareness for the Organization

Legion Riders to join legendary actor to raise funds for The American Legion Legacy Scholarship which helps the children of fallen service members.

News provided by

The American Legion

Jun 15, 2015, 10:29 ET

INDIANAPOLIS, June 15, 2015 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The American Legion and one of the nation's best-loved television and film stars are teaming up for an epic cross-country motorcycle trek that will include stops at Legion posts from St. Louis to Hollywood. William Shatner is hitting the road to help raise awareness of American Legion programs and raise funds for American Legion Legacy Scholarships, which help cover college expenses for children of U.S. military men and women who lost their lives while on duty since Sept. 11, 2001.

Shatner, known for his roles in Star Trek, Boston Legal and numerous other programs, will be riding a Rivet, a never-before-seen vehicle created by him and iconic motorcycle company, American Wrench. Beginning in Chicago on June 23, Legion Riders will join Shatner in retracing the route the future star took to Hollywood when he was just 19 years old. The schedule for Shatner and his fellow riders includes the following cities and Legion Posts:

June 23 – Chicago, IL to St. Louis, MO
June 24 – St. Louis, MO to Kansas City, MO (American Legion Post 21)
June 25 – Kansas City, MO to Oklahoma City, OK (American Legion Post 1340)
June 26 – Oklahoma City, OK to Amarillo, TX
June 27 – Amarillo, TX to Albuquerque, NM (American Legion Post 49)
June 28 – Albuquerque, NM to Flagstaff, AZ (American Legion Post 3)
June 29 – Flagstaff, AZ to Las Vegas, NV
June 30 – Las Vegas, NV to Hollywood, CA

"I am beginning an exciting journey of 2,400 miles from Chicago to Los Angeles," Shatner said. "The road will be filled with many unknowns. I will be surrounded by American Legion members, and what is certainly not unknown is their dedication, generosity and care about fellow veterans. The American Legion Legacy Scholarship Fund is the Legion's charity and we will be bringing awareness to that fact at the many Legion Posts in the cities along the way."

Riding with Shatner will be Bill Sloan, program administrator for The American Legion Riders and a 22-year U.S. Army veteran; Debbie Bickle, U.S. Army veteran and proud 2-Blue Star Mom; and Rodney Herring, U.S. Navy veteran who served in Vietnam. Along the route American Legion Riders will join them and visit American Legion Posts, VA Medical Centers and other meaningful destinations.

"The American Legion is committed to ensure children of fallen service members have the opportunity to attend college," American Legion National Commander Michael Helm said. "Through the support of our American Legion Riders and William Shatner, more students will have the chance at post-secondary educations, the cost of which continues to increase every year."

For ongoing updates about the ride, go to legion.org or follow on social media at The American Legion National Headquarters (Facebook) or @AmericanLegion (Twitter). More information will also be available at AmericanWrench.com and RivetMotors.com. Fans can follow Shatner for updates at @WilliamShatner and Rivet Motors at @RivetMotors.

About The American Legion
With a current membership of 2.3-million wartime veterans, The American Legion was founded in 1919 on the four pillars of a strong national security, veterans affairs, Americanism, and youth programs. Legionnaires work for the betterment of their communities through nearly 14,000 posts across the nation. To find out more about The American Legion, please visit www.legion.org.

About American Wrench
American Wrench, a division of IAE (Illinois Auto Electric Co) is located outside of Chicago. IAE was founded in 1915 by Joseph Sirotek and today, it remains family-owned and operated by the Sirotek family. American Wrench has been at the cutting edge of building custom motorcycles, specializing in design innovation and high-performance machines. For decades, they have been committed to Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Horsepower.

Media Contacts:
Kevin Chiaramonte, 917-723-9653, [email protected]
Laura Hunt Landrum, 571-215-3271, [email protected]

SOURCE The American Legion