Mankato |

Minnesota Assistance Council For Veterans has been assisting vets in Mankato, and the Southern Minnesota region, for over 20–years.

“We help homeless veterans and veterans at risk by case managing them through their crisis,” explained Southern Regional Leader Sadie Rezac. “Helping them with temporary financial assistance, getting them employment resources if they need it and then also connecting them to local resources.”

MACV specializes in assisting homeless veterans or veterans at risk of becoming homeless.

Brent Busch organizes a yearly motorcycle ride that aims to raise awareness, and funds, for MACV.

“A lot of times we sit down and look at our neighbor or relative down the street and think to ourselves how do I help them? They are the kind of person they might be quiet or outgoing, but they are a veteran and we always think to ourselves maybe someday they are going to need some help and they are going to be too proud to ask. How can we do it locally? Support MACV,” said Busch.

Last year, 110 motorcycles took part, totaling over 150 people.

“This year we’ve raised over $17,000 for MACV just for this ride and we aren’t finished yet. It’s a fantastic outpouring of support. Some of the best we’ve seen,” added Busch.

Around 200 cyclists started in Mankato and made their way to Lake Crystal, St. James and New Ulm in an effort to benefit the Minnesota Assistance Council for Veterans.

MAC-V is an organization that provides fuel and food cards to Minnesota Veterans in need ensuring they have meals and fuel to take care of their daily needs.

“You know MAC-V is a Minnesota organization. They help veterans in Minnesota. We do have an office in Mankato that a lot of people aren’t aware of and that’s the whole purpose of this ride is to make people aware of MAC-V, make them aware of their mission and of the great things that they do because they do fight veterans homelessness and they are proactive about it,” said event organizer Brent Busch.

MACV Awareness Ride 2019, Sadie Rezac

Registration starts at 9:30 Saturday morning at Star Cycle in Mankato.

From there cyclists will ride down the Highway 60 corridor south before turning out of St. James to New Ulm and eventually back to Mankato.

–KEYC News 12

https://www.keyc.com/story/40495841/motorcycle-awareness-ride-benefits-veterans-this-saturday