American Legion Riders | Souderton PA | Chapter 234​

In Garden City, Mich., in 1993, Chuck “Tramp” Dare and Bill “Polka” Kaledas, commander of American Legion Post 396, shared an idea to start a motorcycle enthusiasts association within the organization. The two longtime riders wanted an environment where Legion family members could come together to share a common love for motorcycles. Dare and Kaledas wrote a letter to Michigan Department Adjutant Hubert Hess, sharing their idea. At a regular meeting, Post 396 members passed a resolution for a new program to be known as the “American Legion Riders.”

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Joined by 19 other founding members from their post, Dare and Kaledas were flooded with requests for information about their organization. They agreed to establish a central source for the Riders to ensure that chapters formed not as motorcycle clubs or gangs, but as Legionnaires and Auxiliary and SAL members joining to ride as Legion family. The American Legion established the National Riders Program on October 17-18, 2007.

Currently, over 106,000 American Legion Riders meet in over a thousand chapters in every state and three foreign countries.  Riders in all states have escorted military units returning home from combat tours overseas and protect the sanctity of military funerals from protesters.  Participation in parades and other ceremonies that are keeping with the aims and purposes of The American Legion.  

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