We Gift More Than Just a Motorcycle
Riding is an alternative therapy; and our gifts are the tools by which an injured Veteran rider regains its healing benefits. The Harleys we gift are not awards for service, popularity-based decisions or simply thank-you gifts. They are, instead, meant to help redirect, if not save, struggling and at-risk Veteran lives by returning them to The Road. While our goal is to gift one bike a year, since our first gifting in May 2016, SIXTY ONE Wisconsin Veterans have now regained riding in their lives. You’ve put them on beautiful bikes, that they choose from dealership floors, to clear their minds, fill their hearts and reconnect supportive bonds.
We are rolling into our 2026 “gifting season” with a record-breaking plan to gift TWELVE Harleys TO CHANGE TWELVE MORE LIVES this year alone. We can’t wait to meet our new Veteran Recipients and welcome them into our Family. We are currently in fundraising mode for 2027 and greatly appreciate all the support you lend. YOU are the fuel that helps redirect struggling Veteran’s lives–and that of their families and communities… all because a motorcycle reentered their lives.
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LATEST NEWS
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INTRODUCING RECIPIENT #65: Marine Matthew Shadley of Fond du Lac, WI, spent his entire childhood wanting nothing more than all the action being a Marine would offer him. He left for boot camp in 2003, at age 17; and over his next four years in service, he deployed to Iraq three times and rose in rank four times. He has the deeply embedded scars of PTSD to show for it. Scars that he avoided for almost 20 years and soothed with alcohol. Scars that were left to fester and threatened to take his life. Through faith and programming, Matt has slowly learned to release his story to ease his struggle; but getting a motorcycle back in his life to support his healing remains a financial challenge. Click here to learn more about Matt’s service, struggle and how riding once redirected his life.
MEET RECIPIENT #64: Army Veteran Natasha Normand of Tomah, WI. After high school Natasha Normand chose the Army for the life direction she needed. She became a Cook, served a year in Iraq and transferred into the Colorado Army Reserves for a better life balance. Weeks before moving to Denver, Natasha was sexually assaulted by another soldier… and it sent every part of her life into a downward spiral. And after hitting her rock bottom in 2017, she committed herself to inpatient treatment and began the hard, honest work of healing and recovery. Sober now for over 9 years, she struggles every day with depression and anxiety…and conscientiously chooses to push forward. Click here to learn more about Natasha’s resilience and how riding became a critical part of her path forward.
It’s going to be a double gifting for #64 & #65! OUR DOUBLE PRESENTATION OF KEYS CEREMONY WILL BE ON SUNDAY, JUNE 7 2026 AT 5:30 during the Smoke On The Water Music Festival for Hogs For Heroes in Okauchee Lake. There will be live music from the Bobby Friss Band and we will take over their stage to pass two sets of keys to support the healing both of these Veterans. Please note there is a $10 donation fee to enter the music festival. Click here to see the line up of the days events!
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2026 FIRST TWO RECIPIENTS! We put our first two Recipients of 2026 back out on the road on May, 17, 2026! Catch the story behind Army Veteran Amber Fleitz, #62 by clicking on her button below… and learn more about #63 Army Veteran Seth Walls by clicking on his button below.
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LEARN ABOUT PAST RECIPIENTS! Miss the stories of our past Recipients? Catch them below by simply clicking on the Veteran’s name button. See the Harleys they’ve chosen–some new, some barely broken in–by clicking on the Recipient Photos button here or the icon below.
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CATCH OUR LATEST NEWSLETTER! Find out the latest happenings and updates in our most recent Hogs for Heroes newsletter. Read it here!
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CHECK OUT OUR UPDATED CALENDAR OF EVENTS! So much is going on with Hogs for Heroes, see what’s happening and where here!
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UNBELIEVABLE NEWS: Fox News and their Fox & Friends First morning program flew a crew out, with Anchor Todd Piro, to interview our Hogs For Heroes family and recipients as we handed over our 18th set of keys to Marine Veteran Rick Erickson on May 23, 2021. National attention? Us? UNBELIEVABLE!
Take a few minutes to watch this compassionate production on our mission’s efforts and impact by clicking here.
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SUPER COOL NEWS: Our Recipients created a way to express their appreciation and pride for the healing gifts your donations have made possible. In addition to the decals they had made exclusively for Recipient use, they chose to have license plates that reflect their gifting number within the Hogs For Heroes family. Watch for WI motorcycle plates on the road that read H4H## (i.e. H4H6 or H4H47, etc.). And please note, Hogs For Heroes does not ask Recipients to tag their bikes (or themselves!) in any way. They choose to do this.
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THE “THIS JUST DOESN’T GET OLD” NEWS: In November 2019, our Founding Family was surprised by a party our Recipients, their spouses and our Board members threw to honor us. We still choke up over this. NBC15 Madison was on hand to capture the surprise moment and tell us our nonprofit had been selected for their regional “Making A Difference” Award! This beautiful piece was created and narrated by NBC News Anchor John Stofflet and his skilled team, and features our first recipient, Sun Prairie Marine Scott Kruchten. And the cherry on top… it won a coveted Edward J. Muir journalism award in 2020. Catch the video here.
