Rain didn’t stop bikers from across the region today — they still revved up their engines for a good cause.
Riders pushed through the weather to shine a light on motorcycle safety and to show veterans they are never forgotten. Hundreds of riders rolled out of the Soldiers’ and Sailors’ Home for the annual Jeremy Grant Awareness Ride and Cruise-In, determined to make sure their message didn’t get lost in the weather.
One biker told me that’s exactly why he shows up every year — because raising awareness saves lives and making sure support for those who served continues long after the engines shut off.
“Yeah, it’s just that time of year. We’re out, we’re out. We’re enjoying Mother Nature that’s given to us, and we get a chance. By now, you can tell summer is short, so it’s a way to raise awareness throughout the community,” Allen Erin, a biker, said.
Before the engines started, the day opened with a prayer service asking for protection on the road and honoring the veterans watching from the front steps.
Multiple speakers, including Mayor Daria Devlin, all stressed how important motorcycle and veterans awareness is.
A representative from the Soldiers’ and Sailors’ Home told me this event means more than people realize — how it shows veterans they are seen and how it gives the community a chance to get to know bikers.
“All the bikers that have come here every year have been very respectful and want to spend time with the residents, talk with them, and really honor our veterans,” Katy Dilling, a therapeutic recreation supervisor for the Pennsylvania Soldiers’ and Sailors’ Home, explained.
The group then took off, completing their route at a Harley-Davidson bike shop, saying ending the ride there brings the message full circle.
“Just everybody pay attention and look out for us, and keep off your cell phones,” Erin said.