Crowd turns out for 1st Annual Major Terry Arnold Memorial Ride
Hundreds of supporters showed up Saturday, Nov. 12, 2022, for the 1st Annual Major Terry Arnold Memorial Ride and Fundraiser.
The motorcycle ride began Saturday morning at Tifton Harley-Davidson (Exit 61 off I-75).
Iron Legacy Motorcycle Club, Tifton Chapter, and Iron Legacy MC, Massee Chapter, hosted the event in loving memory of Cook County Sheriff’s Office Major Terry “Turtle” Arnold, whose End of Watch was Oct. 3, 2022.
The motorcycle ride drove approximately 63 miles through Tift, Lanier, Berrien, and Cook Counties. Law enforcement agencies in those communities escorted the riders.
ILMC Tifton Chapter Vice President Chris “Tramp” Holton said the event drew 42 motorcycle riders, along with 10 cars and trucks in the procession.
ILMC Tifton Chapter President George “Hulk” Dent said the ride had participants from as far away as St. Augustine, Fla., Crestview, Fla., Macon, Milledgeville, Ozark, Ala., and Jacksonville, Fla. In addition to ILMC, participating clubs included Moody Green Knights, Rough Necks out of Macon, and Blue Knights out of Albany.
Along the way, the ride stopped off at VFW Post 5978 in Nashville and the Threatte Center in Lakeland. The ride ended up at the Cook Middle School Cafeteria, where hundreds of food plates were sold for the fundraiser. Holton reiterated his thanks to Cook County school officials for use of the facility.
Prizes donated by local individuals and businesses also were raffled off in the CMS cafeteria.
Holton said half of the event’s proceeds will be donated to Major Arnold’s family and the other half will be donated to the Concerns of Police Survivors (C.O.P.S.) Georgia Chapter.
Georgia C.O.P.S., a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization, provides resources to assist in the rebuilding of the lives of surviving families and coworkers of law enforcement officers killed in the line of duty. In addition, C.O.P.S. provides training to law enforcement agencies on survivor victimization issues and educates the public about the need to support the law enforcement profession and its survivors.
Roger D. Parker, Georgia C.O.P.S. Executive Director, was present to assist with the Major Terry Arnold fundraiser. For more information about the organizations, please visit gacops.org or ironlegacymc.com.
