“My dad had an impact on my life that no one else could have on me. He was so many things to me; he was my support, my guide, my confidant and my comfort. Losing him was the worst thing that I have ever had happen in my life. I would like to honor him and would like to make him and my family proud by achieving my goals. Thank you for allowing me the opportunity to make this happen.”
The words of a college student whose military father lost his life after the tragic terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, demonstrate just how important it is to live up to one of The American Legion’s – and our nation’s – most important obligations. Within weeks of the attacks, The American Legion Legacy Scholarship was established
Within weeks of the attacks, The American Legion Legacy Scholarship was established to help young people whose parents have lost their lives serving in the armed forces in the years following 9/11. Children of U.S. military personnel killed in the line of duty are entitled to receive federal money toward their college educations, but these funds do not cover the entire cost, and the gap widens as college tuitions and expenses continue to climb. It is especially difficult for a single parent to afford.
The goal of The American Legion Legacy Scholarship Fund is $20 million, enough to fund college educations for young people for years through earnings on the principal. To reach that goal, The American Legion relies heavily on one of its most popular and fast growing programs: The American Legion Riders. Motorcycle-riding veterans from across the country have joined the Legion Riders for annual cross-country treks, raising funds
while riding from Indianapolis to national conventions in Salt Lake City, Reno, Nev., Phoenix, and Louisville, KY. Another is planned for the 2010 National Convention in Milwaukee. The rides have raised more than $1 million for the scholarship program, which is already distributing scholarship dollars while simultaneously building up the principal.
Legion Riders chapters have flourished in recent years and became an official program of the organization in 2007. It has since expanded to more than 1,000 chapters.