Motorcycle club organizes honorary ride from Rochester to veterans cemetery in Preston – ABC 6 News

(ABC 6 News) – About 300 motorcyclists participated in an honor ride Thursday to honor veterans killed in the line of duty.

It begins in the parking lot of the Rochester Community and Technical College football field and ends at the Minnesota State Veterans Cemetery in Preston, Minnesota.

The riders formed a small group of the estimated 5,000 members of the Combat Veteran’s Motorcycle Association who had come to Rochester for the organization’s national convention.

“We are a statewide cause,” said member Ben Sackett of Big Lake, Minnesota. “Holding our convention here in Rochester allows us to honor the local veterans buried here.”

For some riders, the event takes on a more personal touch.

“We all have our people,” said member Scotty McKinnon of Chaska, Minnesota. “We do our best to always say their name and remember them.”

The event also included a wreath-laying ceremony and the guest speaker at the cemetery was Lieutenant General Jon Jensen, Director of the Army National Guard.

“To be with these people at our national cemetery here in Preston is just an incredible honor,” Jensen said. “To be a small part of this means the world to me.”

Jensen also mentioned the importance of such events for the veterans who attend and what people should know when dealing with veterans.

“Most of our veterans are very proud of their service, but they may be very quiet about it,” he said. “I would just say, if you know a veteran, just reach out to them, thank them for their service and make sure they understand they are not alone.”

The convention runs through June 22, so Rochester residents should continue to expect an increased number of motorcycles on the road. The Minnesota Department of Transportation is asking motorists to be extra cautious of motorcyclists and to share the road with others.