Honoring veterans at area weekend events

By Brooke Holford ~ Southeast Missourian

Sunday, September 20, 2020

Veterans and motorcyclists from across Missouri rode together Friday and Saturday to the Vietnam veterans wall at Missouri's National Veterans Memorial in Perryville, Missouri for the second annual Missouri Veteran Wall Run 2020. The run is held every year on the weekend of National POW/MIA Recognition Day for POW/MIAs who are still unaccounted for. Perryville also hosted a bike rally at the Perryville Town Square, "Bikers on the Square!" on Friday and Saturday, which included live music, food and drinks, and all proceeds benefited veterans organizations. Also, s a thanks to all current and past military members, Lawless Harley-Davidson in Scott City held a veterans appreciation bike show Saturday. There was a bike wash earlier in the day, live music by GenX, food and drink that evening. The bike show was put on by Garret Customs, and all proceeds are being donated to Bikers against Bullies.

Scott Coppaway and his son, Kade, hold an American flag and watch as motorcyclists and veterans from across the state ride by in the second annual Missouri Vietnam Wall Run on Saturday in Perryville, Missouri. (Brooke Holford ~ Southeast Missourian)
Jessica Coffelt and her daughter, Josie, hold an American flag and watch as motorcyclists and veterans from across the state ride by in the second annual Missouri Vietnam Wall Run on Saturday in Perryville, Missouri. (Brooke Holford ~ Southeast Missourian)
An Air Force veteran who served in Vietnam rides his motorcycle in the second annual Missouri Vietnam Wall and Run on Saturday in Perryville, Missouri. (Brooke Holford ~ Southeast Missourian)
Motorcyclists and veterans from throughout the state ride to Missouri's National Veterans Memorial during the second annual Missouri Vietnam Wall Run on Saturday in Perryville, Missouri. (Brooke Holford ~ Southeast Missourian)

Robert McNeil, left, and John Tamul hug upon seeing each other during the second annual Missouri Vietnam Wall Run on Saturday in Perryville, Missouri. (Brooke Holford ~ Southeast Missourian)
James Heafner, a veteran who served in the Army during the Vietnam War in 1969 and 1970, looks for names on the Vietnam Veterans Wall at Missouri's National Veterans Memorial on Saturday in Perryville, Missouri. Heafner rode his motorcycle in the second annual Missouri Vietnam Wall Run. (Brooke Holford ~ Southeast Missourian)
Cynthia Kessel, left, and Terri Meister pet Kessel's puppy, Bo, at Bikers on the Square on Saturday, following the second annual Missouri Vietnam Wall Run in Perryville, Missouri. (Brooke Holford ~ Southeast Missourian)
Isha "FireKracker" Stenberg enjoys time with friends at Bikers on the Square on Saturday after riding in the second annual Missouri Vietnam Wall Run with her fellow "Chrome Kings," an all female riding group, in Perryville, Missouri. (Brooke Holford ~ Southeast Missourian)
Justin Shumbert and Marsha Macke ride their motorcycle during the veterans appreciation event Saturday at Lawless Harley-Davidson in Scott City. (Brooke Holford ~ Southeast Missourian)

A group of riders pulls in to the veterans appreciation event Saturday at Lawless Harley-Davidson in Scott City. (Brooke Holford ~ Southeast Missourian)
A group of riders pulls in to the veterans appreciation event Saturday at Lawless Harley-Davidson in Scott City. (Brooke Holford ~ Southeast Missourian)