'We share the same cause'
1,100 bikers take proud ride to Zion for Heart of a Marine Foundation
ZION -- A loud rumbling was their herald. It wasn't thunder on the sunny, 60-degree Sunday afternoon. It was a convoy of nearly 1,100 motorcyclists on the fifth annual Heroes Ride.
"We all have different tastes for bikes, but when it comes to us riders, we share the same cause, the same pavement and the same ideals. These are very strong-hearted people," said event organizer Lt. Tom Maloney of the Chicago Fire Department.
(Josh Peckler/News-Sun)
(Thomas Delany Jr./News-Sun)
For more information about The Heart of a Marine Foundation, visit www.heartofamarine.org
About 1,100 riders on 950 motorcycles turned out for the ride, a fund-raiser for The Heart of a Marine Foundation, which provides rehabilitation assistance to injured military personnel and veterans of all five military branches.
State police escorted the motorcycle procession, which started in Des Plaines and passed the front gates of Naval Station Great Lakes on the way to Illinois Beach Resort.
"Every year we've outgrown our ending location for size and parking. We lucked out with Illinois Beach Resort," Maloney said, adding that the number of participants has doubled every year.
Last year's event had 756 riders and raised about $6,000, said Barbara Matsukes, spokeswoman for The Heart of a Marine Foundation.
"This is one of our most successful fund-raisers," she said.
About 89 percent of all funds raised from the ride goes straight to veterans, Matsukes said. The volunteer-based charity works with VA hospitals all over the country, including the VA Medical Center in North Chicago, said Georgette Frank, co-founder of the foundation.
Heart of a Marine was founded in 2005 in honor of her son, Marine Lance Cpl. Phil Frank. He was killed at age 20 in Iraq.
"He had a beautiful, caring, protecting heart. We knew we had to do something to capture that spirit, so we took the blueprint of his heart and started the foundation," Frank of Elk Grove Village said.
She estimated that up to 98 percent of the participants on the ride were veterans.
"That's veterans supporting veterans, and that is so incredible. It's awe inspiring," Frank said. "We are very proud of our military and of our veterans and we will work to support them."
The Mahers of Grayslake also know the pain of losing a son to war. Lance Cpl. Sean Maher was killed in Iraq in 2005. He was 19.
"We believe in helping each other out, so we're here to support each other," Dan Frank said.
They started the Sean P. Maher Foundation in honor of their son. In addition to providing scholarships for Warren Township High School Students, the foundation seeks to house injured veterans.
He and his wife, Janet, rode their motorcycles in the convoy, calling it a "very good ride."
"It was very honorable to see all the fire departments with American Flags. It was humbling and spine-tingling," Dan said.
