Hundreds of bikers are set to make a stop at Montvale Elementary School Thursday morning as part of a decades-long tradition referred to as “Run for the Wall.” This event aims to raise awareness and inspire healing for veterans and their families.
Bikers are expected to arrive at the elementary school at about 11:30 a.m. Shortly after, they will be served lunch, and performances will begin at 12:30 p.m. They will depart at about 1:30 p.m. to continue their routes.
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The ride has become a cherished event for children, staff, and families of Montvale Elementary. It allows students from all grade levels to express their gratitude for the service and sacrifice of military personnel. Several years ago, bikers noticed children from Montvale Elementary waving at them as they drove by on Route 460. They were so touched by the sentiment that they have stopped by every year since.
In 1989, the event began as a single ride from California to Washington, D.C., ending at the Vietnam War Memorial. Since then, it has grown into a four-route mission that raises awareness and funding to assist with their mission.
Their overall mission is “to promote healing among all veterans and their families and friends, to call for an accounting of all Prisoners of War and those Missing in Action (POW/MIA), to honor the memory of those Killed in Action (KIA) from all wars, and to support our military personnel all over the world.”
Bikers are also scheduled to stop at the National D-Day Memorial at about 1:45 p.m., with departure from the memorial set for 3:30 p.m.
Run for the Wall is recognized as the largest and longest organized cross-country motorcycle run of its kind in the world. With four routes, more than 1,800 participants travel annually from California to Washington, D.C., and from Washington, D.C., to Illinois every May.
The Southern Route riders left California on May 14 and are scheduled to arrive at the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington, D.C., on Saturday.
