The American Legion Day Declared During RAGBRAI

The American Legion Honored During RAGBRAI

Legion posts came out to support the oldest, largest and longest recreational bicycle touring event, RAGBRAI, in the world. The ride named July 22 American Legion Day. Thanks to the efforts of Past District Commander Carl Anderson of District 8 and other Legionnaires of Iowa. Anderson, a member of Severson Post 77 in Kanawha, originally got into bicycling when his daughter asked him to participate in RAGBRAI as a father- daughter ride.
American Legion Day was celebrated in Winterset; that evening, national, department and local American Legion leaders were honored on stage in front of a large crowd in the city’s downtown.
American Legion Past National Commander Dave Rehbein (Ames Post #37) spent his time on stage explaining The American Legion’s Four Pillars. “We’re out of the uniform. Now we serve in civilian life,” he said, asking those in attendance to remember U.S. servicemembers once they leave the military. “When those folks come home, some of them bring problems with them. We have to be there for them.”

RAGBRAI Director T.J. Juskiewicz said honoring the Legion was an easy choice. “(Legionnaires) have been serving our country and then serving our communities for 100 years,” he said. “RAGBRAI travels into the town where there are Legion posts every year. It was just to draw some attention to that they’ve been doing some great service for 100 years. We felt it was a perfect year to do it.”
Riders began in Council Bluffs on Sunday, July 21 and completed the ride in Keokuk on Saturday, July 27. To read the full articles and see photos of the event published by National, visit: 

https://www.legion.org/centennial/246487/sharing-legion-mission-ragbrai-...

Further details regarding the ride can also be found at www.ragbrai.com