MN PG Assistant State Captain

Fellow Members, I was recently asked if I would be willing to fill the Assistant State Captain position upon Tim Leonhardt's resignation. I gave this new position much thought and consideration, including discussions with former and current leadership at both the State and National level. After discussing the new responsibilities with my family, I decided to accept this nomination. The Leadership Advisory Committee and Board of Directors voted to accept me into this role and I am honored to accept this mission oriented role in the MN Patriot Guard. I have been an active member of the MN Patriot Guard since May 2006. I remember my first mission well, it was in Welcome, MN on June 3, 2006 for USMC Robert Posivio III. That mission struck a nerve with me and I've been involved with the MN PG ever since. Since that hot day in Welcome, I have attended missions in MN, WI, IA and Texas. I was not able to serve in the military due to a disability, but I have the greatest of appreciation for the sacrifices our military and their families make for our Nation. I was asked to be the Rochester Sector Ride Captain in June 2006 and Southern MN Senior Ride Caption in Sept 2007. With the new role of Assistant State Captain, I will be stepping down as Rochester Sector Ride Captain as soon as the new RC is approved. I will be stepping down as Senior Ride Captain-at-Large as well, although I will still sit on Missions Team and the Board of Directors. I have had the honor and privilege to have RCIC'd and participated in countless KIA, Active Duty, LEO Line Of Duty and Veteran Missions, WWII and Vietnam Re-Patriations, Send-Offs, Welcome Homes, and Gold Star Family events. This experience will continue to serve me well to assist RC's throughout the state as mission questions and logistics arise. I will also continue to participate with the Tribute To The Troops, the POW/MIA Riders of MN and Beyond The Yellow Ribbon SEMN. All this experience has been and will continue to serve two important purposes, assist and enable our members to attend missions, and ensure the proper honor, dignity and respect is shown to our heroes. I would also like to take a moment to thank Tim Leonhardt for his unwavering support of our mission and ensuring that our mission has carried on with the highest respect it requires and deserves. Tim has been a huge asset to the MN PG, sacrificing his time, work and family for this organization, for which we cannot repay him except to say Thank You Tim, Mission Accomplished. Thank you all for doing the right thing.

Craig Ugland Rochester Sector Ride Captain Senior Ride Captain At Large Member - Board Of Directors

2015 Patriot Ride Motorcycle Raffle Tickets Are Ready to Sell!   It's that time of year once again and we need your Help! The 2015 Patriot Ride Motorcycle Raffle Tickets are printed and available for Sale.  We would like to invite members of the Minnesota Patriot Guard to help sell Raffle Tickets for the 2015 Patriot Ride Event.  With the change of venue this year from the Ham Lake Park to Key Air at the Anoka County Airport, we know this year's Patriot Ride will be an Event like no other in Minnesota coming June 20, 2015.   We are joining forces this year with the Tribute To The Troops in presenting the Patriot Ride sponsored by our great friends from Dennis Kirk.  Instead of competing with two motorcycle raffles we are all focused on one!  We are still two organizations with special purposes but joined together to help this ride become the most successful ever. As you know a large portion of the funds raised from the Patriot Ride come from the Motorcycle Raffle Ticket sales.   The proceeds from these Raffle Ticket sales (benefiting the MN Patriot Guard, the MN Chapter of the Tribute To The Troops, and the Minnesotans' Military Appreciation Fund) directly benefit our Veterans, active Military personnel and Family members of our Military.  Please help us make this year the year we ran out of Raffle Tickets.   We are sharing some information regarding the number of Raffle Tickets printed this year which may be used to help promote the sale of tickets: We have printed a limit of 5000 Raffle Tickets.   We hope this information is useful in encouraging the public to purchase tickets.   Chances of winning the 2015 Harley Davidson Road Glide or $15,000 cash (winners choice) are 1 in 5000.  Those are pretty good odds! Here are some details regarding the Patriot Ride and Raffle Tickets:    10th Annual Patriot Ride Date: Saturday, June 20, 2015 Event Location: Key Air / Anoka County Airport 9877 North Airport Rd. NE Blaine, MN.  55449 Raffle Tickets: $20 each, must be 18 or older to enter and win - Need not be present to win Prize: 2015 HD Road Glide or $15,000 cash If you are interested in selling Raffle Tickets this year,  please contact Gail Steiner at Dennis Kirk, Inc., by emailing: gsteiner@denniskirk.com.  Please include your name, address phone number, and the number of Raffle tickets you would like to receive.   Raffle Ticket booklets come in groups of 10 each.    We will send you as many booklets as you would like to sell. Dennis Kirk will provide a pre-paid UPS Shipping label,  along with an envelope for you to return the sold ticket stubs and the $ collected.   Please plan to return the Ticket stubs and funds collected to Dennis Kirk, Inc., no later than Monday,  June 15.    If people want to write checks they should be made out the MN Patriot Guard (the MN Patriot Guard holds the raffle ticket license but funds are divided between all groups). This is the 10th Annual Patriot Ride.  This means it has been a decade of memories, and of giving back to those that have given to us.  Please help us reach our goal: 5000 TICKETS SOLD!! Please check out the full event at www.thepatriotride.org for more information and to pre-register.

Doug Bley President, MN Patriot Guard Former, Minnesota State Captain