Fourth annual ‘Thank You Is Not Enough’ ride to raise funds for local veteran organizations

MT. PLEASANT - The fourth annual Thank You Is Not Enough ride and benefit will kick off in Mt. Pleasant this Saturday.

Originally slated for the second week of June, the ride was pushed back to June 27 due to the coronavirus pandemic.

The all-day event will see bikers travel through Southeastern Iowa in support of local veterans and veteran organizations. The ride will begin at Loyal Order of Moose in Mt. Pleasant before traveling to Ainsworth and Brighton in Washington County and continuing through Fairfield and Keosauqua in Van Buren County. The group will then head back to Henry County through Salem to finish in Mt. Pleasant. In addition to the ride, there also will be a silent auction and raffle following the return to Mt. Pleasant.

Dixie Darnell, organizer and founder of the Thank You Is Not Enough nonprofit, is a motorcycle enthusiast herself. She became inspired to start the charity after learning about the Combat Veterans Motorcycle Association (CVMA) and the work they do with local veterans.

'After Desert Storm and 9/11, it got me thinking about all the people putting their lives on the line for all of us. I've never had any family members in the service but really appreciated what they did,” Darnell said.

Funds raised through Thank You Is Not Enough generally go to help veterans 'on a personal level,” which includes helping with various bills, food and costs for items like wheelchairs.

'They wrote a blank check to the government, up to and including death for us. They wrote that check and were willing to have their life taken for us so we could sleep in peace at night,” Darnell added. 'Every time I would see a vet, I would say ‘thank you,' but we have to do more than that for them.”

Local veteran, member of CVMA and Thank You Is Not Enough volunteer Art Tousignant, said the event is critical in helping to raise awareness about challenges veterans face after coming home.

'We've seen across the country that grassroots organizations like Thank You Is Not Enough helps to meet the needs of veterans, whether it be a small financial emergency or just needing someone to talk to, it has a large impact,” Tousignant said.

Last year, the ride saw close to 180 people participate. Darnell hopes the event will continue to grow and anticipates close to 200 riders tagging along this year.

'Events like this are important because a lot of times, veterans don't want to talk to people about their struggles. This community outreach lets people know they may have a veteran next door who may need some help,” Tousignant added.