Motorcyclists ride in SWFL to help veterans battle suicide

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A group of veterans from the American Legion are grabbing their helmets and boots for a motorcycle ride to bring awareness to the staggering rates of suicide among veterans.

One of the participants raising money for Project: Vet Relief and suicide prevention told WINK News that more than 22 veterans take their own lives each day.

However, those are only the number of lives accounted for; the number could actually be higher.

Lives are lost every day from those who once protected the United States.

“That’s why we do it. I get emotional a little bit, and its tough, tough to talk about, but it’s over 22 a day, and it’s not going down, and we will have people who will tell you it’s much higher than that,” said Joe Marcheggiani, the central road captain from the Florida American Legion Riders.

The American Legion Riders have been traveling around Florida and stopping at posts and monuments while raising money for suicide prevention among veterans.

veteran
CREDIT: WINK News

On Friday morning, they cruised to the Vietnam Memorial Wall at Gaines Park in Punta Gorda.

“We have done over 1,200 miles so far, and we have stopped at probably 50 American Legion posts and collected over $25,000 just from this group right here,” said Marcheggiani.

The American Legion has resources for veterans to seek the help they are looking for:

Click here for the contact information for Project: Vet Relief.

Click here for more information from Project: Vet Relief on the Suicide Prevention Initiative.

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