AMVETS Riders Chapter 51 Thornville, OH.

04/01/2026

Honor. Respect. Never Forgotten. On March 29, fourteen members of AMVETS Riders Chapter 51, and many other AMVETS Riders from Ohio rolled out early with a solemn mission to honor and welcome home three fallen warriors of the Ohio Air National Guard who paid the ultimate price for our country and our freedoms.
The dignified transfer took place at Rickenbacker Air National Guard Base, where the remains of Capt. Seth Koval, Capt. Curtis Angst, and MSgt Tyler Simmons arrived home after being killed in action on March 12th during a refueling aircraft crash in support of Operation EPIC FURY.
Hundreds of motorcycles formed up to es**rt these heroes home to their families.
The journey to hometowns spanned miles through highways, city streets, and country roads of fellow Americans that stood united in grief and gratitude.
Citizens lined the streets, waved flags, saluted, and stood in silent respect. Fire departments positioned trucks with American flags and firefighters stood at attention while the procession passed by. Communities came together in grief and gratitude, honoring these fallen Airmen. Every miles was marked by honor and respect.
Law enforcement, including the Ohio State Highway Patrol, blocked intersections ensuring everyone's safety, and provided a final salute to these three heroes entering their funeral homes and honoring their selfless sacrifice for us.
Our commitment to our veterans and their families is unwavering. Remember Everyone Deployed until they all come home.

12/25/2025

Merry Christmas! 🎄

12/21/2025

Our Riders were honored to wish our veterans in local nursing homes a Merry Christmas, thank them for their service to our great nation, and provide them with sweatpants, a sweatshirt, a flag, and other swag.

12/14/2025

It was an honor for us to participate in Wreaths Across America again this year. Even with the cold and snowy weather, we had more people come out than last year. Our goal is to see participation in Thornville continue to rise.

There are many people to thank for making our location a success: ~our site co-coordinators, Brenda & Mitch Ranck, for their many hours of work organizing our event and securing donations
~Pastor Tom Jacobson of the Thornville Grace Lutheran Church for delivering a prayer during the ceremony
~Dan Baker, Jr. for providing a sound system so everyone could hear the ceremony
~the Thorn Township Fire Department for lending us a generator to work the sound system
~Sloan's Tree Service for bringing one of their boom trucks to display an American flag
~Sheridan High School Band Director, Dave Fazakas, for playing taps
~Sheridan High School Student Council Advisor, Mary Peresta, and National Honor Society Advisor, Gemma Heileman, for sharing our event with their students to try to help get volunteers
~Doug Cooperrider, Cemetery Manager, for providing us with the number of wreaths needed and leaving the Veterans Day flags up so it was easier for volunteers to find graves needing wreaths
~AMVETS Post 51 for their support and allowing us to have our breakfast beforehand
~the children who came out and were so excited to place wreaths and who also took the time to fluff the bows and greenery up
~everyone who joined to help us honor the lives of the veterans laid to rest in the Thornville Lutheran Reformed Cemetery
~local businesses and individuals who purchased wreaths or donated money for us to purchase them
~anyone else we may be forgetting - For that, we apologize.

We also took wreaths to the small cemetery behind the Thorn Township Fire Department, where 18 veterans are laid to rest.

12/13/2025

Come join us this morning for breakfast. We'll be here until 11:00am. Afterwards, we invite you to join us at the Thornville Lutheran Reformed Cemetery for our Wreaths Across America ceremony. The ceremony starts promptly at noon, followed by the laying of wreaths on veteran graves.

12/13/2025

Chapter 51 Rider and our WAA Site Co-Coordinator, Brenda Ranck, did an interview with Kelsey of T-100. Click the link to listen to her share information about Wreaths Across America. Great job, Brenda!

VIBECast Wreaths Across America https://wclt.com/podcast-player/6985/wreaths-across-america-2.mp3Play in new window | Duration: 6:26 | Recorded on December 11, 2025Kelsey talks with Brenda Ranck from Amvets Post 51 in Thornville about Wreaths Across America — A national campaign where […] Granvi...

12/12/2025

Chapter 51 Riders would like to send out a big thank you to all the individuals and local businesses who helped by sponsoring wreaths. Because of them, we were able to ensure that every veteran grave in the Thornville Lutheran Reformed Cemetery will have a wreath placed on it tomorrow.
We welcome the public to join us at the pancake and egg breakfast at Post 51, the Wreaths Across America ceremony at the cemetery, or both.

11/29/2025

Join us for breakfast before our Wreaths Across America ceremony on December 13th.
Both the breakfast and the ceremony are open to the public.

11/11/2025

11/05/2025

Thank you to everyone who helped us not only reach, but exceed, our goal this year! Because of your generosity, we'll be able to honor our veterans who are laid to rest in the Thornville Lutheran Reformed Cemetery. A big thank you also goes to our site coordinators, Brenda and Mitch, who donated countless hours to organizing this event and getting wreath sponsorships from local businesses.
Please join us for breakfast on December 13th at 9:00am at AMVETS Post 51. Then join us at the cemetery for a ceremony to honor our veterans followed by placing wreaths on their gravesites. The ceremony will begin promptly at noon. This very special event is open to the public.

11/03/2025

Yesterday, Chapter 51 Riders were happy to participate in, and donate to, the annual Rolling Thunder Toy Run in Heath. This event brings riders from all over to help kick-off the Salvation Army Toy Drive. Click the link to see a video, from the Ohio AMVETS Riders, of our check presentation.
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