Motorcycle group organizes ride to place 22 flags at Sandhills State Veterans Cemetery on Saturday

May 21--Motorcycle riders who want to honor the lives of veterans who have died from suicide are invited to place flags at grave sites Saturday.

The Sandhills Indian Motorcycle Riders Group is organizing the event and will place 22 flags at Sandhills State Veterans Cemetery to symbolize "22 veteran suicides per day" and honor those veterans' lives, said Steve Schrock, president of the Sandhills Indian Motorcycle Riders Group.

Riders will meet at 9 a.m. Saturday at Baker American Cycles, 1508 Hope Mills Road.

Kickstands are scheduled to go up at 10 a.m. to head to the cemetery, with a prayer before leaving.

Riders will live in groups of twos, with novice riders in the front.

It'll be the first time the group, which has been around since 2016, has organized the event.

"The thing with all this COVID-19 stuff is everyone is staying at home social distancing," Schrock said. "But you can still get out and practice that. This is Memorial Day weekend, and it's a time to remember those who gave their lives to this country and bring awareness to suicide."

Schrock said he expects at least 15 participants from the group, many of whom are in the military or veterans, but others can participate.

Once arriving at the cemetery, he said the group will circle the heroes and stop at the chapel, where a chaplain is scheduled to give an invocation and remember the fallen before the 22 flags are presented to the riders to place at random throughout the cemetery.

"With everything going on, you can't forget the other things," Schrock said.

Staff writer Rachael Riley can be reached at rriley@fayobserver.com or 910-486-3528.

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