Grundy Reporter

In a post on Facebook this week, State Sen. Sue Rezin, R-Peru, cast a spotlight on the 19th annual Illinois Motorcycle Freedom Run ceremony for the Middle East Conflicts Wall Memorial in Marseilles.  

Marseilles City Council gave its approval for the 19th annual Illinois Motorcycle Freedom Run in April, and Anna Russo, vice president of the Middle East Conflict Wall Memorial, told WCMY.com that riders left the Grundy County Fairgrounds to arrive at the memorial to add 13 names to the wall. Rezin spoke at the ceremony, according to her social media post, in which she noted it was an honor to be included in the event. 

“This is a special ceremony to recognize the Gold Star families and their loved ones that lost their life defending our country,” Rezin said in the Facebook post. “To a fallen hero, you shall never be forgotten. Although you may be gone from this world, your spirit will live forever. It lives in us here today. It lives in the eyes of laughing children who are free from want and oppression. It will serve as a reminder of the bravery and conviction of those who still struggle for liberty today.” 

According to Shaw Local News Network, kiosks have been installed that can help visitors find the names and locations of every soldier on the wall, making it easier for Gold Star families to honor the memory of their loved ones. 

According to its website, the Illinois Motorcycle Freedom Run was held for the first time on June 19, 2004, when the granite memorial honoring soldiers who lost their lives in Middle East conflicts was moved 65 miles from Summit to Marseilles, with more than 12,000 motorcycles serving as an honor guard.  

People lined the route as motorcycles two deep passed by for more than 50 minutes. The Illinois Motorcycle Freedom Run noted on its website that flags were waving from bridges and overpasses as the soldiers who lost their lives in the Middle East were remembered and honored.