A large group of leather-clad motorcyclists on the freeway might be an intimidating sight for some but a group of leather-clad motorcyclists with more than 90 teddy bears in tow? That’s just the American Legion Riders of Post 174 on their yearly “Teddy Bear Run” from Morgantown to Clarksburg, WV.
During the trip, the group visits the West Virginia Veterans Nursing Facility in Clarksburg to distribute plush toys for residents, which can also be shared with their family and loved ones.
“[The Riders] come from all over and then they bring all their motorcycles to the facility,” said West Virginia Veterans Nursing Facility activities director Jodie Shaw. “We take the residents out, and they go through and look at the bikes and talk to all the guys. They really enjoy it.”
The Run has been going on for a few years and Shaw says the preparation and planning are very simple.
“[The Riders] just call and they give us a date when they want to do it and we put it on our activity calendar,” said Shaw. “We know when to take them outside and they also come into the facility and walk around to the residents that don’t go outside.”
As veterans themselves, the Riders are especially sensitive to the issues that their fellow veteran residents face. In addition to the annual Run, they also make sure to visit around the holidays and throughout the year. Don’t let the leather jackets fool you: Behind them are hearts of gold.
“[It’s important] to let [residents] know that they’re still a part of the outside world because when they come into a nursing home, some of them don’t see their family very much,” said Shaw. “Some of them don’t have any family, so we kind of become their family. They get to see other people out in the community and know that they still care about them too. I recommend that, if you work in any type of nursing facility, you try to have outside people and groups come in to interact with your residents.”
