60 cyclists on 500-mile journey across IL to honor fallen servicemen, women

MATTOON, Ill. (WCIA) — Dozens of cyclists pulled up to the Mattoon YMCA on Wednesday to stay for the night after riding after riding 100 miles. Their journey is halfway over, but they’re not doing it for themselves.

“Now we’re stopping by schools, restocking by different VFW, American Legion halls,” Barry Tobias, Gold Star Mission President, said. “So that we can really, really tell the story about why we’re out here and what we’re doing.”

They have 500 miles to go in honor of Illinois’ fallen soldiers. The Gold Star 500 was started in 2017 to tell the stories of servicemen and women who made the ultimate sacrifice.

This year’s tour began in Metropolis and will end on Saturday in Rockford. It raises money for scholarships in the name of their fallen loved ones. To this day they have awarded more than 250-thousand dollars.

Tobias has ridden in the last seven Gold Star 500s.

“And that’s what pushes us. I mean, you think you’re just about done,” Tobias said. “You get to the edge and then some kid comes up and talks to you and it just motivates you to keep going.”

Kathy Redmon isn’t cycling this year, but she’s doing her part to keep the cyclists pedaling.

“What we’re doing for them is sustaining them to help keep the memory of our family members alive,” Redmon said.

Redmon lost her nephew, Jonathon, last year.

“Gymnastics took him to the Air Force Academy, where he competed as a gymnast, where he learned to handle all those G-forces,” Redmon said. “And then he became an instructor pilot, and he was teaching our pilots for the Air Force before we lost him.”

Gold Star Mission has given her a sense of community with people going through the same thing. And they’re not only honoring Americans but also Polish veterans who lost their lives for their country.

Gold Star mother Vonda Rodgers said the message is the same no matter the language.

“It just proves to me that I don’t have to know you or know your story to make a connection on the fact that we’re both gold star families,” Rodgers said.

Cyclists also made the trip from Poland to ride for the common cause. Rodgers, whose son Josh died seven years ago, said that wasn’t the end of his story. And every Gold Star 500 is a chance to tell it.

“This is one of the few organizations that celebrates their lives,” Rodgers said. “And so, when we ask, you know, tell me about your person, I want to know the stories because I want to share them forward.”

To donate to the Gold Star 500, click here .

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