American Legion Riders
The American Legion Riders of Iowa, Marion Chapter 298
Chapter 298 officers for 2023
Director Jason Achenbach
Assistant Director Larry Rolfson
Treasurer Roger Norfolk
Secretary/Historian Kellie Jorgenson
Road Captain Roger Norfolk
Chaplain (appointed position)
Our meetings are the third Saturday of each month at 9 A.M. (Except in December)
Our Dues are $20 a year.
The Marion American Legion Riders Chapter began in the summer of 2007.
What we are is members of the American Legion, American Legion Auxiliary, and Sons of the American Legion who also ride motorcycles. We're not special and apart, just have something extra and use it to raise money for furthering the policies and publicizing the image of the American Legion.
COBRA Rides Calendar (Coalition Of Benefit Rides Association)
Post Calendar with our events
Our Constitution and Bylaws were approved by the Post 298 Executive Board on 13 November, 2023.
We began as a Chapter In 2007. This is the newsletter that has the details of our beginning.
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1dJbv0X3CxIuYRCr_zwY0pY5vP65IjF5O/view
Our Directors thus far are:
Bill Bickford Aug 2007 -Dec 2008
Bob Bales Jan 2009 - Dec 2010
Roger Norfolk Jan 2011 - Dec 2012
Bob Bales Jan 2013 - Dec 2022
Jason Achenbach Jan 2023 -
Where do I get the stuff?
We have found several things that help us along. If you want to buy a leather vest, http://leatherup.com/ is a good site and gives a discount if you use the Online Discount Code of 55632
When you go to buy your patches for your vest, they are only allowed if from Emblem Sales. Here is the link to patches http://emblem.legion.org/Patches/products/275/ The guidelines are pretty loose overall. To hit the requirements, you need only a small American flag, that goes on the left front of the vest (Product Number 820.400 at a cost of $1.50 or so) and a big back patch. Get the big back patch (Product Number 720.402X) that allows printing underneath. You would need to get the printing "Iowa Chapter" and underneath that "Marion Post 298". The headgear of choice is the beret (Product Number 705.301) but most don't have that. We're not too crazy over hats, but would want them for ceremonial purposes. A ball cap with the Rider patch would be accepted, and not many of us have that.
One goal of our Chapter is to help raise funds for the Legacy Scholarship. The Legacy Scholarship Fund is an effort by the American Legion to help provide a college education for any child who's mother or father has died while on active duty since Sep 11th, 2001, or child of a parent with a 50% rated disability or higher. One of the Riders fundraising efforts is the annual Legacy Run which is open to anyone to ride. The ride is from various points around the US to the National Convention. In 2012, 6 of our 13 members rode from Niagara Falls to Indianapolis for this worthy cause. In 2014 the route was from Indianapolis to Charlotte and 3 of us participated. This is one of our primary actions to make contributions to those in need. 2019 is the 12th Legacy Run. So far we have had at least one rider in every Legacy Run. 2019 was from Florida to Indianapolis. 2020 - well, Covid! 2021 was from Rogers, AR to Phoenix. 2022 was from Mobile to Milwaukee.
We are quite proud of what our little band has raised for the Legacy Scholarship Fund, especially when our maximum size was 33 and we normally number under 20.
More information can be found here. https://www.legion.org/scholarships/legacy
Legacy Scholarship 2020 Annual Report Information
Year Amount awarded Number of scholarships awarded
2017 $671,892 55 (between $586 and $20,000 each)
2018 $744,436 41 (between $1,770 and $20,000 each)
2019 $1,122,624 57 (between $2,298 and $20,000 each)
2020 $667,931 35 (between $5,634 and $20,000 each)
Total awarded 2004 - 2020 $3,699,564
Total scholarships awarded 401
Below are the pictures of the Marion Riders giving donations to this fund.
The American Legion Legacy Scholarship and Legacy Run are important to the Chapter
Below is a list of the Runs and who has attended
2008 $500
Duane Pipho
2009 $2,218
Roger Norfolk
2010 $1,902.93
Duane Pipho
2011 $2,768.43
Roger Norfolk
2012 $4,000
Duane and Bobbie Pipho, Jim Sova, Mike Etzel, Roger Norfolk
2013 $4,000
Mike Etzel, Roger Norfolk
2014 $3,600
Mike Etzel, Duane and Bobbie Pipho, Roger Norfolk
2015 $4,067.45
Roger Norfolk
2016 $3,000
Mike Etzel
2017 $3,000
Duane Pipho, Roger Norfolk
2018 $3,000
Roger Norfolk
2019 $3,000
Roger Norfolk
2020 had no run.
Chapter 298 donated $1,000
2021 $1,070
Jorge Pena, Roger Norfolk
2022 $4,466.31
Roger Norfolk
2023 $2,125
Roger, Robert Demastus, Cheryl King
Total so far $43,468.12
Following are just some pictures of us out riding and such.
18 Feb 2024 Jason and Lori making donation to our Scouts
9 March 2024 Double Donation to Camp Courageous
Dec 11 2023
Sponsor a Boy's State Attendee
Lori and Jason making donations for Riders and Auxiliary
Jason making donation to Willis Dady Homeless shelter
On a ride - May 2022
16 Nov 2023 Donation to the Freedom Foundation
Sep 17 2022 Donation to the Auxiliary Unit 298 School Supplies project
Carl Kerschenske is shown with Aaron Schultz, the 19 year-old Kirkwood student who was noted on TV and the newspapers for cleaning veterans headstones in local cemeteries. Riders Chapter 298 voted to donate $200 for his cleaning supplies. Carl gave him an additional $50 at the donation presentation.
From left: Mark Clark - Chairman of the National American Legion Riders Committee and Senior Road Captain of the 2022 Legacy Scholarship Run, Roger Norfolk, Post 298, Kathy Daudistel - National American Legion Auxiliary President, Michael Fox - National Sons of the American Legion Commander, and Paul Dillard - National American Legion Commander. Roger presented the total contributions of the Post 298 American Legion Family of $4,466.31. Total contributions for 2022 set a new record of 1.32 million dollars.
Dec 17, 2021 Donation to Willis Dady Homeless Center
Dec 17, 2021 Donation to the Freedom Foundation
Jul 21, 2022 Donation to the Freedom Foundation
Aug 17 2022 Donation to Aaron Schultz, a student cleaning veterans headstones
Leaf Run
After meeting gaggle to go somewhere
Liberty Run
Legacy Run
Legacy Run
Legacy Run
Legacy Run
Liberty Run
Legacy Run pre-gaggle
Missing In America Project (MIAP) looks for cremated and unclaimed veterans and gives them military rites funerals.
MIAP - I carried him on his last trip across the earth
MIAP
MIAP
MIAP
MIAP - possibly the largest ride I've been in so far. About 700 motorcycles. We filled the Van Meter Cemetery roads and overflowed through the gates.
Liberty Run
unk, Bob Bales, Carl "ski", Duane Pipho, Roger Norfolk
Heading out for a MIAP mission
Group D on the Legacy Run
Legacy Run
Recieving our plaque for donating at Department Mid-Winter
Department Commander Dennis Soppe, Mike Etzel, Carilyn Morse, Russ Rosenberger, Roger Norfolk, Duane Pipho, Bobbie Pipho
Legacy Run
Duane Pipho, Roger Norfolk, John Nieland
Mike Etzel, John Nieland, Duane Pipho, Bobbie Pipho, Roger Norfolk, Waye Harrah, Bob Bales
Ride to brunch after a meeting
MIAP
Unknown ride prep
Unknown ride prep
After meeting ride to breakfast
Swamp Fox Parade
Riding with friends from the Washington Iowa chapter