The Nation of Patriots (NoP) is an all-volunteer 501(c)(3) charity raising money to support disabled American veterans experiencing financial distress. Started by CEO/Founder Bill Sherer in 2009, NoP has raised $2.5 million and awarded it to more than 840 veterans to help them on their path to financial stability. The Patriot Tour is NoP’s sole national fundraising event and involves the transport of a United States flag carried on motorcycles through all 50 states. The motorcycles are typically piloted by veterans and escorted by dozens – occasionally hundreds – of other riders. There are approximately 120 flag-transfer stops during each tour and, along with the transfer of the flag from one flag bearer to the next, money is raised to support disabled veterans. Photos by Larry Goldstein and 2026 Patriot Tour participants. Each year, NoP selects a host from proposals that it solicits from recent flag stops and other communities interested in having the honor of serving as the hub for the launch on Armed Forces Day (May 16 this year) and the homecoming that will occur on Sept. 19. The successful proposal to host the 2026 Patriot Tour was submitted by American Legion Riders Chapter 264 in Glenville, Minnesota. Bruce Camerer (director), Larry Larson (assistant director), and Scott Kallberg (road captain) spearheaded the effort. They enlisted numerous volunteers from within the Legion Post to staff the six committees needed to coordinate all of the moving parts of the annual Patriot Tour launch. One of their most critical decisions was recruiting the physical location for the launch ceremony – Bergdale Harley-Davidson in nearby Albert Lea. Another was arranging to use the vacant lot next to the Legion building to set up a tent in case of rain during the pre-launch party the night before. Beyond recruiting the volunteers and selecting the host location, they invested incredible efforts to engage the community. Albert Lea and Glenville residents participated throughout the planning and execution of the launch. Numerous residents, businesses, and local governments supported the effort, and it showed up in the quality of the activities and the participation levels. They were so successful the Glenville Post won a national public relations award from the American Legion for their efforts to promote The Patriot Tour. To get to the launch site, I planned to take two days on my 2025 Harley-Davidson CVO Street Glide for the roughly… [TheTopNews] Read More.
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