For more than a decade, the Cpl. Jonathan W. Bowling Memorial Bike Ride has been drawing motorcyclists from all over the country to Patrick County.
The annual memorial motorcycle ride, set for Saturday, April 30, is not the only a way for fellow veterans and servicemen to remember the fallen Marine, it is also a chance for these men and women to continue his legacy of serving
The event begins at 10 a.m. at Patrick County High School, 215 Cougar Lane, in Stuart, with live music, food, and door prizes. The ride itself begins at noon. Registration is $15 per vehicle. Each entrant has a chance to win prizes. Trophies are given for the farthest traveled bike.
All the proceeds from the ride will go toward the Corp. Jonathan W. Bowling Memorial Scholarship, which was established to honor Bowling’s legacy and provide a Patrick County student with funding to attend Patrick & Henry Community College.
Bowling was a police officer, firefighter, elder at his church, and a corporal in the United States Marines. In 2005 during deployment in Iraq, he gave the ultimate sacrifice. Because Bowling also was an avid biker, the Chapter 11 Red Knights Motorcycle Club formed the annual bike ride to preserve his memory.
“Every year, we are touched by the number of riders who come to honor the life and legacy of Corporal Jonathan Williams Bowling,” said Tiffani Underwood, director for P&HCC’s Foundation. “Through the Bowling Memorial Scholarship, the memory of this true American hero can continue to inspire and empower students. P&HCC is honored by this gift and honored to participate with the Bowling family to preserve Corporal Bowling’s memory.”
Annually, the fund provides money for two Patrick County students to attend P&HCC. Students with a desire to enter into public service are given priority. To learn more about the ride, the scholarship, or Bowling’s life, visit www.cpljonathanbowling.us.