In the days leading up to Independence Day, Beebe Clerk/Treasurer and new League President Carol Westergren and her husband Michael joined a motorcycle entourage composed of over 200 American Legion Riders tasked with escorting a special U.S. Flag from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, home of the National Flag Foundation, to Washington D.C. on July 4.

Known as the Sojourn 250, the Riders escorted the flag on the final leg of a journey that has seen it fly over the graves and memorials of U.S. heroes buried in cemeteries under the American Battle Monuments Commission’s care. Additionally, the flag has flown in every state and U.S. territory.

With the nation’s semiquincentennial as the backdrop, the American Legion provided full support to the America250 event in promoting and celebrating the nation’s historical birthday. Upon arriving in Washington D.C., the Riders brought the flag to Nationals Park, where the Washington Nationals were hosting the Pittsburgh Pirates. The flag left the stadium to fly one last time over Arlington Cemetery before the Riders presented it for display at the National Archives.

Westergren was honored to be among the group of Riders to escort the flag that stands for freedom, faith and hope, she said, and to bring it to our nation’s capital in this once-in-a-lifetime moment. With over 125,000 members in more than 2,500 chapters, the American Legion Riders is a program with the mission of supporting veterans and their families.

Check out the full journey on the National Flag Foundation’s interactive Sojourn 250 feature here.