Motorcyclists from across the country will gather in Patrick County on Saturday, April 27 for the 20th annual Cpl. Jonathan W. Bowling Memorial Bike Ride. The annual memorial motorcycle ride is both a way for fellow veterans and servicemen to remember fallen Marine Corp. Jonathan Williams Bowling and a chance for these men and women to continue his legacy of giving back to the community.
“This will be our final ride and we want to thank everyone who has supported us and helped us realize our goal of Jonathan’s scholarship becoming perpetual,” said ride organizer Darrell Bowling, a retired Master Trooper with the Virginia State Police and Bowling’s father.
The event begins at 10 a.m. at Patrick County High School, located at 215 Cougar Lane, in Stuart, and features live music, food, and door prizes. The ride begins at noon.
Registration is $15 per vehicle, and each entrant has a chance to win prizes. Trophies are given for the bike traveling the farthest to participate in the ride.
All proceeds from the ride will go toward the Corporal Jonathan W. Bowling Memorial Scholarship, which was established to honor his legacy and provide a Patrick County student with funding to attend Patrick & Henry Community College (P&HCC).
To date, the ride has collected a total of $89,000.
Bowling, a Martinsville police officer, volunteer firefighter, and elder at his church died in 2005 during deployment in Iraq. Because Bowling also was an avid biker, the Chapter 11 Red Knights Motorcycle Club instituted an annual bike ride to honor his memory.
“P&HCC is honored to partner with the Bowling family to preserve Corporal Bowling’s memory in this way,” said Tiffani Underwood, director of P&HCC’s Foundation, adding, “The engagement of the motorcyclists who have participated in this event over the last twenty years is a testament to Corporal Bowling’s life and memory and has ensured that Patrick County students will have the opportunity to carry his legacy into the future.”
The Corp. Jonathan W. Bowling Memorial fund has provided money for two Patrick County students to attend P&HCC each year since 2004. Students with a desire to enter a public service career are given priority.
To learn more about the ride, the scholarship, or Bowling’s life, visit www.cpljonathanbowling.us.
