To help show support for Region veterans, local organizations Harley-Davidson of Valparaiso, Charlie Bravo (formerly OC Bravo), and Kelly Law Offices have teamed up to host Impact Rides this summer. Happening once a month, the Impact Rides are here to let local veterans know that, no matter how hard times may be, there’s always a community to cheer them on.
Sponsored by Copper Custom Armament and Boyd Asphalt, the Impact Rides will be taking place at the Valpo Harley-Davidson location on May 25, June 22, July 13, August 17, and September 14. Registration fees are $20 per bike and $25 per bike with a passenger. Rider registration begins at 10 a.m. each day. However, the ride is not limited to just motorcycles – all are welcome to come out to participate and show their support.
Following the rides, the community is invited to return to Harley-Davidson for a fun-filled afternoon of live music from the Head Honchos and a food and beer garden to further celebrate the many brave men and women who have served our country.
Staying Region-oriented was a big focus for the Impact Rides. As most organizations are aimed at helping veterans on a national level, not as many opportunities have appeared for Northwest Indiana veterans specifically. The team wanted to create events to help those close to home.
“We really wanted to do something for them, and we wanted it to stay local,” said Harley-Davidson General Manager Jeff Haggerty. “There are other organizations out there that are for a great cause, but when you donate, the money doesn't stay local; it goes to the national level and filters down. With a large donation, you're only going to see a small percentage of that in your community. We really wanted all the funds raised to stay local.”
All proceeds from the Impact Rides will be going towards Crown Point-based nonprofit Charlie Bravo, which provides a variety of veteran impact services. The nonprofit began when Founder and Executive Director Jason Zaideman, a combat engineer stationed at Fort Riley, Kansas from 1996 to 2000, began helping veterans through a motorcycle building program. It turned out to be a major success, and the organization quickly grew from there.
“We're a veteran-focused nonprofit that started out originally as Operation Combat Bikesaver,” said Zaideman. “I was teaching veterans how to build motorcycles for free, and at the end of the program, they got to keep the bikes. There became a huge demand for our program, and I also ran into new veterans who needed different things, such as needing to talk. I didn't realize at the time that a lot of veterans actually want to talk about things that happened in their past or try to problem solve things in their lives, so that’s how we grew.”
Today, Charlie Bravo has seven programs that cover a large scope of topics to help those who have served. This includes DIY activities such as metal forging as well as support groups, a fitness program, a financial group to help with debt consolidation, credit repair, and planning for retirement, weekly live music jam sessions, and outdoor activities that involve camping trips and connecting with other veteran-focused nonprofits throughout the country.
Zaideman and Charlie Bravo hope to extend the help for veterans through the Impact Rides.
“Most of our focus isn’t in fundraising – it's in meeting new people and helping more veterans,” said Zaideman. “We want to be able to make more of an impact, so we make connections in the community with other business owners or just good people who like to make an impact. They love knowing there's an organization out there making a huge difference and that they get to see that difference – those are the kinds of people that I love to have conversations with at these events.”
Kelly Law Marketing Specialist Denine Harris approached Harley-Davidson and Charlie Bravo with the concept for the event after brainstorming the idea with her team. Harris, whose passion is getting out in the field and working with those in the community, had collaborated with both organizations in years prior and knew both were great partners to team up with to bring this idea to reality.
“These are two great organizations who have been mildly involved together,” Harris said. “I felt like, with Harley-Davidson and Charlie Bravo, we could do great things. I asked both parties to lunch, and we sat down and came up with the concept. Basically, all three of us sat down and talked, and it was just a beautiful brainchild that came to be.”
Supporting veterans is a topic Harris holds dearly to her heart, as her late father was a veteran himself. Being a part of events like the Impact Rides allows Harris to honor someone who meant a lot to her while simultaneously supporting those who have served today.
Additionally, the team hopes to further connect with Region veterans and their families through the Impact Rides. In addition to spreading the word about the services available to help, the Impact Rides also let veterans and their loved ones know support is out there. The team believes that this series of events will do just that—make an everlasting, positive impact in veterans’ lives.
“Not too long ago, I was telling one of our customers that we were having this, and then she was telling me about the PTSD and such,” said Harley-Davidson Sales and Motorclothes Staff Member Ginger Misch. “Then, she said her friend's son was going through this problem, so she called immediately to tell them about the Impact Rides. Hopefully, that'll help veterans also get a little bit more support that they need so they can relax, enjoy, and get life back on track. I think it would be phenomenal for the people who are keeping us safe, and it’s time to return the favor to them, too.”
For more information on the Harley Davidson of Valparaiso, visit hdvalpo.com.
For more information on Charlie Bravo, visit combatbikesaver.org.
For more information on Kelly Law Offices, visit kelly-lawyers.com.
