The sound of motorcycle motors filled the air on Tuesday afternoon as approximately 365 American Legion Legacy Riders arrived in Austin.

Coming from Albert Lea, the Riders made their way to American Legion Post 91, where a hog roast was held later in the evening.

The Riders are part of the 1,100 mile journey through Kansas, Missouri, Iowa, Wisconsin and Minnesota raising awareness about the American Legion Legacy Scholarship and the important work Legionnaires are doing in the local community. They will eventually make their way to the annual American Legion Convention, held this year in Anoka.

“Every year the National Convention moves to a different state and this year we’re fortunate to have it here,” said Roe Naylor, president of the Post 91 Legion Riders.

The Riders will be heading to Rochester and Onalaska before making their way to Anoka.

Since the scholarship’s inception in 2002, over $13 million has been raised for the American Legion Legacy Scholarship. The American Legion Riders have generated several million dollars for the scholarship through the American Legion Legacy Run and are also engaged in countless other charitable activities that contribute thousands of dollars annually to other national, state and local programs and charities for veterans, military families and communities.

Eligibility for the American Legion Legacy Scholarship is open to children of service members who died while on active duty following Sept. 11, 2001, as well as children of post-9/11 veterans who have been assigned a combined disability rating by the Department of Veterans Affairs of 50 percent or greater.

The American Legion Legacy Run is one of the largest multistate, multiday, cross-country motorcycle events in the United States, with many of the American Legion Riders traveling from across the country to join together in unified support for the cause.

Naylor said that this year, American Legion Legacy Riders of the First District raised $15-$16,000 for the scholarship. Over $200,000 was raised throughout Minnesota.

“Minnesota has been the largest contributor to this by far over the last four years,” he said.

Naylor also said getting the Riders to come to Austin was a community effort.

“This is a project we’ve been working on over a year, once we knew the National Convention was coming in,” he said of the stop in Austin. “I have been talking to the Road Captain that lines up the national ride and we’ve been trying to coordinate things and picking routes for almost a year now. It’s a great honor for them to come here. The whole American Legion family has come together with the community of Austin to put this together.”

In preparation for the Riders, Naylor said they received assistance from Austin Park and Recreation, Hormel, Hy-Vee, Mower County Sheriff’s Office, Austin Police Department, the Spam Museum, the Hormel Institute, the Mower County Historical Society and Discover Austin.

The Riders will be leaving for Rochester today after a 10:30 a.m. wreath-laying ceremony at Oakwood Cemetery. American Legion National Commander Denise Rohan will lead them to Rochester.

“I just want to thank the community for helping out and their support,” Naylor said.

Donations can be made to the American Legion Legacy Scholarship at www.members.legion.org/tal/donatenow?trantype=LGY.