American Legion Riders stop in Antigo as part of “Cruise for a Cause”

ANTIGO — Just after 5 p.m. Friday in the drizzling rain, a cavalcade of approximately 70 motorcycles buzzed into Antigo.

The bikers were part of the Wisconsin American Legion Riders Association, an organization that once each year tours the state, stopping at local posts to collect member donations for a fundraiser called “Cruise for a Cause.”

On this year’s ride, which began Friday at the very top of the state in Superior, Wisconsin and ended just north of Illinois in Orfordville, the group was collecting money for the Wisconsin American Legion’s Troop and Family Support Fund, as well as the auxiliary organization’s Homeless Women Veterans Grant Fund, according to Corey Doehrmann, the director of the Wisconsin American Legion Riders Association.

“We had a safety briefing last night in Superior, and then we actually started riding this morning at 8 o’clock,” Doehrmann said Friday inside Antigo’s filled-to-capacity post. “All day we’ve been going. We ride for about an hour, an hour and 15 minutes, and then we’ll have a stop like this, accept donations, and then we move to the next stop.”

Karl Stuvengen, state commander of the Wisconsin American Legion, said the fundraiser’s main purpose is to support veterans experiencing trying times.

“When they’re overseas and the wife is trying to deal with problems at home, we try to help where we can because there isn’t a real good support system, especially for the guard and reserves,” he said. “Active duty army or active duty navy, there’s a support system within that if you’re on a base, but if you’re living out in town, you don’t have that support system, and we try to provide that.”

Stuvengen said the types of problems the money helps veterans with range widely.

“They lose their job and their car is going to be repossessed, and we give them enough money to make a payment. Or he’s overseas and the water heater goes to hell in the house, and the wife’s trying to deal with that, we come up with money to help them out,” Stuvengen said.

Though no members of Antigo members participated in this year’s tour by riding from town to town, the post did collectively donate a total of $850 for the cause. Post Commander Ron Krueger said the reason members from Antigo donated was self-explanatory: to support those who serve.

“It’s anything we can do to help support the Wisconsin American Legion and to help those that are left behind in some way and to take care of every eligible soldier,” Krueger said.

Doehrmann said the ride, and joining the American Legion in the first place, also benefits the riders themselves.

“These guys all like to hang out together and we have fun,” Doehrmann said, smiling. “Sometimes it’s not the greatest, like today, because it’s been raining all day, but it’s still fun. I think a lot of people join the American Legion because of the camaraderie you get when you’re among a bunch of veterans.”

Doehrmann said the tour is now responsible for a number of successful projects to help veterans in the state.

“Last year, we raised money for a recreation center remodel at Camp American Legion, which is up in Lake Tomahawk,” he said. “Veterans go and stay in camp for free, whether it’s by themselves or with their families, and it’s one of the most fantastic programs in the state that we have available for veterans.”

The American Legion Riders raised over $33,000 on Friday’s leg of the tour alone, an amount which, after talking to some of the individual riders such as Doehrmann, is not surprising.

“To me, veterans signed their name on the line and said they were willing to give everything for this country,” Doehrmann said, “so there’s no reason we should not give everything to them to help them out.”