Q2 Morning Email Newsletter

9-11 Remembrance ride raises money for Laurel Hometown Troops

Posted: Sep 9, 2012 4:58 PM by David Jay
Updated: Sep 10, 2012 4:48 AM

BILLINGS - The 11th anniversary of the 9/11 terrorist attacks arrives tomorrow.

A group of motorcycle riders says it's important to remember the the tragedy that happened on September 11, 2001.

The seventh annual 9/11 Remembrance Ride started at Fichtner Chevorlet in Laurel yesterday. About 290 people, including 180 motorcycle riders, rode to the Yellowstone County Courthouse lawn. They then rode to Bugzy's and finished at Tiny's Tavern.

The president of the B.A.S.T.A.R.D.S. Motorcycle club says we need to remember the 9/11 terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center in New York, along with the people who died, and the people who were heroes.

"9/11 is essentially our generation's Pearl Harlbor," said Teri Mundahl, known as Sinamn in the B.A.S.T.A.R.D.S. Club. "We were attacked on our own shores. We want to make sure that the public remembers what happened that day and how many lives were lost."

The 9/11 remembrance ride also raises money for Laurel Hometown Troops, a group that sends packages to military people serving overseas.

"People's patriotism warms my heart," Mundahl said.

The first part of the journey took the riders from Laurel to the Yellowstone County Courthhouse lawn.

"When all of these people come out and do what they do, it shows that it's not totally forgotten," said Gene Burns, secretary/treasurer for Laurel Hometown Troops.

"It was an attack on America," said Chuck Armstrong of American Legion Post 117. "An attack on our soil and that's the main thing that we dont' want to forget"

Armstrong led the group in the pledge of allegiance recognized the military people and emergency personnel and those who died in 2001.

"The main message was remembering, don't forget," Armstrong said. " We have to keep reminding ourselves why we're fighting, why we have a free country."

"It just gives you a good feeling in the heart that doing what we were doing is helping somebody else," Burns said.

"Support everybody still out there supporting us," Mundahl said. "Freedom is not free."

The ride raised about $4,200 hundred dollars for Laurel Hometown Troops.

Topics: Laurel Hometown Troops, Laurel, Billings