Yamaha Once Again Sponsors True American Heroes Weekend Hosted By Kenny Roberts; Donates Bolt C-Spec Motorcycle To Benefit Auction
Modesto, CA – April 26, 2016 – For the fifth consecutive year, Yamaha Motor Corporation, U.S.A., is proud to sponsor the True American Heroes Weekend, a fundraising event held at Kenny Roberts’ legendary ranch in Modesto, California, to benefit “Welcome Home Heroes” and the Cpl. Michael D. Anderson Jr. Memorial Foundation.
Yamaha has also donated a brand-new Bolt C-Spec motorcycle to the True American Heroes Benefit Auction. The Bolt C-Spec is being customized into a Kenny Roberts flat-tracker tribute bike by Team Roberts, Jeff Palhegyi Design, and Roland Sands Design, with help from Öhlins USA, Two Brothers Racing, and Braap Shop Yamaha in Modesto, CA, and it will be the centerpiece item at the Auction.
Co-sponsoring the Fifth Annual True American Heroes Weekend is Wells Fargo, and the event will be attended by Wells Fargo Relationship Manager Paul Puma.
True American Heroes Benefit Dinner Featuring Special Guest Of Honor, Colonel Willard A “Willy” Buhl, USMC
The centerpiece of the Fifth Annual True American Heroes Weekend is the Benefit Dinner, which will be held on Friday, May 13 beginning at 4:00 PM at Kenny Roberts’ ranch and features Special Guest Of Honor, Colonel Willard A. “Willy” Buhl, USMC, former Military Assistant to the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Asian and Pacific Security Affairs, Office of the Secretary of Defense, Pentagon and currently with the Wounded Warrior Battalion-West at Camp Pendleton, CA.
Also attending the Dinner will be Eddie Lawson, Wayne Rainey, Kenny Roberts Junior, Kurtis Roberts, Mert Lawwill, Roland Sands, and Marty Smith, along with actress and number-one Kenny Roberts fan Bo Derek; actors R. Lee Ermey and Kevyn Major Howard, who starred in the blockbuster movie “Full Metal Jacket”; TV personality and American music executive Barry Weiss, star of A&E’s “Storage Wars”; Bruce Brown, producer, director, and narrator of the iconic 1971 Oscar-nominated film “On Any Sunday”; and several representatives of America’s military elite.
Seating for the True American Heroes Dinner is very limited, and tickets are $600 per person. To attend, call Michael Utt at 209-765-9317 or email your inquiry to [email protected] or [email protected].
The DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel at 1150 Ninth Street in Modesto is the official hotel of the Fifth Annual True American Heroes Weekend. To make room reservations, guests can call DoubleTree Central Reservations at 800-222-TREE, or call the hotel directly at 209-526-6000 and provide the three-letter code “KRW,” or ask for the Kenny Roberts Welcome Heroes Group Room Block.
Guests will be transported from The DoubleTree to the Roberts Ranch where they’ll get a personal tour of Kenny’s private museum located right at the ranch, followed by dinner catered by celebrated chef Alan Greeley, owner of The Golden Truffle in Costa Mesa, CA.
True American Heroes Benefit Auction
After the True American Heroes Dinner on Friday night, Justin Trick, Auctioneer, will conduct a live auction right at King Kenny’s ranch to benefit Welcome Home Heroes. Along with the brand-new Kenny Roberts-inspired, customized Bolt C-Spec up for bids, the Auction will also include Team Roberts memorabilia, other signed racing-related items, and lots of additional motorsports merchandise.
12th Annual Cpl. Michael D. Anderson, Jr. May Day Memorial Ride
As a special follow-up to the True American Heroes Dinner, the 12th Annual Cpl. Michael D. Anderson, Jr. May Day Memorial Ride will be held the next day on Saturday, May 14. Kenny Roberts and several other American motorcycle racing heroes are scheduled to ride in the event aboard motorcycles provided by Yamaha Motor Corporation, U.S.A. The ride is free and open to the public, and hundreds of Marines, soldiers, sailors, and airmen are expected to attend.
From its start in Modesto to its completion at Castle Airport in Atwater, CA, the Memorial Ride will be escorted by motorcycle units from the Modesto Police Department, the Stanislaus Sheriff’s Department, and the California Highway Patrol, ensuring a safe and uninterrupted run through central California.
At the Memorial Ride’s Conclusion at Castle Airport, there will be a special Salute To Peacemakers, Peacekeepers and Protectors, along with live music, free food and drinks, a custom motorcycle display, and a display of military aircraft.
About Welcome Home Heroes
Welcome Home Heroes is a 501(c)3 non-profit corporation organized to provide assistance to local Central California veterans of the U.S. military in their transition from active duty to private life. Last year, the True American Heroes Dinner and Cpl. Michael D. Anderson, Jr. Memorial Ride raised more than $130,000. Visit TrueAmericanHero.org or WelcomeHomeHeroes.org for more information.