Heroes Highway Ride Rolling Into Port Hope This Saturday

The 10th anniversary for the Heroes Highway Ride will be pulling into Port Hope this coming Saturday.
And it’s expected their could be up to 4,000 motorcycles lining the streets in and around Memorial Park starting at approximately 12:30 p.m.
“The ride is a demonstration of support for the men and women who serve our country – their families and first responders,” said found Lou DeVuono speaking to Today’s Northumberland in Port Hope.
“It’s a great location that keeps us tied to the community and Memorial Park is beautifully located next to the downtown core.”
Last year there were approximately 3,300 motorcycles that started out in Trenton and drove down the Highway of Heroes to Port Hope.
Leading the way this year are two members of the Peterborough Police Service with their motorcycles. For the first time, Cobourg Police will also be participating with their motorcycle.
The Heroes Highway Ride is also honoured to have nine fallen soldiers families taking part from Ontario, Manitoba and British Columbia.
“Port Hope has extended us a great opportunity and it helps us engage the community,” said DeVuono.
“The nice thing about it is it really helps connect. We think they (soldiers) live in a different world and they aren’t approachable.”
“But they are. And this way we bring them together. They are warriors protecting our country and it connects the community with what they sacrifice for all of us.”
At this point it’s calling for a cloudy day but no chance of rain, but even if there is, DeVuono said in the past, the wet weather doesn’t dampen the spirit of the riders.
“When we drove to Oshawa in 2011 it was a downpour, so the weather doesn’t discourage us.”
Among the events taking place in Port Hope is a 1939 Douglas DC-3 Dakota flyby around 1:30 p.m.
The Schneider’s Ride of Pride truck and the driver Michael Cunningham who is a veteran will also be in Port Hope.
The Poppy Memorial is coming back once again.
It was created from a military vehicle damaged by an improvised explosive device in Afghanistan.
For every fallen soldier a poppy was placed at Kandahar Airfield and at the end of the mission a soldier brought back all the poppies and they were bronzed and fashioned on the memorial.
“It’s a spectacular way to honour on the fallen.”
The event along with the ride is always a free event. But people are asked to bring a non-perishable food item for the Northumberland Fare Share Food Bank.
“It’s a great opportunity for Port Hope. We do see a lot of people visit the downtown and that’s one of the things we like about Memorial Park is it’s right downtown.”

JUNE 2 MEMORIAL PARK PORT HOPE

WHATS HAPPENING

10 AM.
· VENDORS & DISPLAYS OPEN
· MUSIC PROVIDED BY DJ
· FIRE PREVENTION’S BOUNCY CASTLE FOR KIDS
· FARE SHARE FOOD BANK
Please Bring a Donation
11AM.
· HONORARY COLONEL DAVE DEVALL
TAKES THE STAGE AS OUR EMCEE FOR THE EVENT (Well – Known TV Weather Man)

· JENNIFER’S JAZZ IT UP DANCERS ENTERTAIN

12.15PM.

· WELCOME MOTORCYCLE RIDERS AS THEY MAKE THEIR WAY DOWN ONTARIO TO MILL AND UP QUEEN TO WALTON

1PM.
· CEREMONIES & SPEECHES BY VETERANS & DIGNITARIES

1.30PM. TO 4 PM.

· TIGHT QUARTERS BAND (FORMALLY JACK
HAMMER) TAKES THE STAGE TO PROVIDE
MUSIC ENTERTAINMENT

Author: Pete Fisher

Has been a photojournalist for over 30-years and have been honoured to win numerous awards for photography and writing over the years. Best selling author for the book Highway of Heroes - True Patriot Love