TYRONE — Registration is underway for the 15th Freedom Ride, a patriotic bike ride on the Fourth of July that raises money for the Van Zandt VA Medical Center in Altoona.

“This is a family event. It is pretty nice to see parents and kids ride together,” said spokesperson John Harlow, who recently retired as chief of public affairs at the medical center.

The mission statement of the Freedom Ride is “to celebrate our freedom by coming together to ride free and proudly showing support for our great country and the men and women who have served to protect our freedom.”

The ride starts at the Tyrone American Legion and goes to DelGrosso’s Park and back to the Legion, a distance of about 10 miles.

The event has grown from the inaugural year’s handful of riders, Harlow said.

“It started with 10 the first year in 2011 and last year there were more than 400 riders,” he said.

The Van Zandt VA Medical Center and leadership from the VA’s Center for Development and Civic Engagement selected Freedom Ride to receive the 2022 American Spirit & Excellence Award for a Volunteer Community Organization.

This award is one of six top honors the VA presents each year to donating organizations. The award is split into six different categories based on organizational classification. The Community Award recognizes an organization for selfless efforts in supporting their local VA medical center in caring for veterans. The award also honors organizations who support specific projects supporting veteran needs.

In the previous 14 years, close to $400,000 has been raised, with last year’s Freedom Ride netting $40,000.

One previous use of the Freedom Ride-donated money was to refurbish a van that provides wheelchair access so the veterans who reside at the VA medical center can go on outings, such as trips to the Curve games or to medical appointments. Funds have also been used to take the medical center residents for an outing on the Proud Mary at Lake Raystown and to help construct and renovate the Victory Garden at the medical center, Harlow said.

“We always want to do more to help our local veterans,” he added.

To register for the Freedom Ride, visit www.freedomrideusa.com.

Cost to participate is $20 for adults and $10 for children. Registration can also be made the morning of the ride, but that doesn’t guarantee a T-shirt, Harlow said.