Ride around Atlanta wrapped-up as band entertained and delighted veterans with a surprise impromptu acoustic performance
MEDINA, Minn. — November 11, 2016 — In honor and recognition of Veterans Day, Indian Motorcycle®, America’s first motorcycle company, paid tribute to our nation’s veterans with a day of gratitude and a motorcycle ride on the outskirts of Atlanta. In partnership with Zac Brown Band, the Indian Motorcycle Riders Group and charity partner Veterans Charity Ride to Sturgis, the ride kicked-off Wednesday morning beginning at Indian Motorcycle of Marietta and ending at the campus of Camp Southern Ground, Zac Brown’s non-profit passion initiative, in Fayetteville.
The ride hosted more than 100 riders and veterans from California all the way to Virginia, in addition to Indian Motorcycle Riders Group (IMRG) members from Tennessee, Alabama and Georgia. Veterans and other participants were welcomed by breakfast and a kick-off tribute delivered by Steve Menneto, President of Motorcycles for Polaris Industries, who joined the veterans for the day. The scenic ride lasted two hours and traveled through the outskirts of Atlanta. The full day of events dedicated to saluting all American military veterans culminated in lunch and a surprise acoustic performance by Zac Brown Band at Camp Southern Ground.
“All of us at Indian Motorcycle are honored and humbled to continue our steadfast support of America’s military personnel, their families and our veterans, whom we proudly salute today on Veteran’s Day,” said Steve Menneto. “I thank the more than 100 veterans and IMRG riders who took part in this epic day of motorcycle comradery. I would also like to thank Zac Brown Band and their team for their support of our troops, and for making this a legendary event.”
Along for the ride and day’s events were four representatives of the ‘Veterans Charity Ride to Sturgis,’ which provides two-wheeled motorcycle therapy for wounded and amputee American military veterans. This past summer marked the second straight year Indian Motorcycle has sponsored this very special charity ride, which departed from Los Angeles en route to the 76thannual Black Hills Rally through some of America’s most scenic landscapes.
Camp Southern Ground is a non-profit organization founded by Zac Brown, with a mission to provide extraordinary experiences for children to recognize and magnify the unique gifts within themselves and others in order to profoundly impact the world. Camp Southern Ground places a special emphasis on those with neuro-developmental disorders, as well as children from military families and those with social or emotional challenges.
Indian Motorcycle partnered with Grammy® award-winning and multi-platinum artists Zac Brown Band in May 2015 as ambassadors for the iconic American motorcycle brand. The band, an avid group of motorcycle riders, supports Indian Motorcycle through various events and initiatives across the country.
Indian Motorcycle has a proud military history, providing bikes to the war efforts in both WWI and WWII as well as supporting a host of military programs and events over the course of many decades. Zac Brown Band has a long history of supporting the U.S. military as well. The band members are USO tour veterans who have entertained more than 20,000 troops. In partnership with Indian Motorcycle and the USO, Zac Brown Band met with select troops on some stops of their 50-city North American Stadium Tour, crossing the country in support of their recently released ‘JEKYLL + HYDE’ album, which garnered their third consecutive number one ranking on the Billboard 200.
“It was an honor and a privilege to be a part of this day and the band is proud to have played a small role in making this day special for our veterans,” said Zac Brown. “Camp Southern Ground was proud to host this special event and welcomes our nations veterans today and every day.”
ABOUT ZAC BROWN BAND
Three-time GRAMMY winners and multi-platinum artists Zac Brown Band are one of music’s most heralded acts. Their latest platinum-certified album ‘JEKYLL + HYDE’ (Southern Ground Artists/John Varvatos Records/Big Machine Label Group/Republic Records) marks the band’s fourth consecutive #1 debut on the Billboard 200 chart. With three platinum-selling albums, ‘Uncaged,’ ‘You Get What You Give,’ ‘JEKYLL + HYDE’ and 5X platinum ‘The Foundation,’ along with their 2013 project ‘The Grohl Sessions Vol. 1,’ the band has sold over 25 million singles and eight million albums to date. They have earned a historic series of fifteen #1 hit radio singles and are only the second artist to top both the country and active rock formats. Zac Brown Band broke three Fenway Park records with back-to-back sold-out concerts during their “BLACK OUT THE SUN” 2016 Tour: the most tickets sold for a single concert, the most tickets sold over two nights of concerts by the same artist, and the first band to sell out seven consecutive shows over three years. The band reached another milestone in Camden, NJ, packing 25,227 people into BB&T Pavilion — the best-attended show in the venue’s 22-year history. Zac Brown Band is managed by ROAR, a Beverly Hills-based artist and brand management company. The band is also represented by CAA, public relations firm Shore Fire Media and strategic digital marketing agency Girlilla Marketing. Additional information can be found at http://www.zacbrownband.com/.
ABOUT INDIAN MOTORCYCLE®
Indian Motorcycle Company, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Polaris Industries Inc. (NYSE: PII), is America’s First Motorcycle Company®. Founded in 1901, Indian Motorcycle has won the hearts of motorcyclists around the world and earned distinction as one of America’s most legendary and iconic brands through unrivaled racing dominance, engineering prowess and countless innovations and industry firsts. Today that heritage and passion is reignited under new brand stewardship. To learn more, please visit www.indianmotorcycle.com.
ABOUT POLARIS®
Polaris Industries Inc. (NYSE: PII) is a global powersports leader with annual 2015 sales of $4.7 billion. Polaris fuels the passion of riders, workers and outdoor enthusiasts with our RANGER®, RZR® and POLARIS GENERAL™ side-by-side off-road vehicles; our SPORTSMAN® and POLARIS ACE® all-terrain off-road vehicles; VICTORY® and INDIAN MOTORCYCLE® midsize and heavyweight motorcycles; SLINGSHOT® moto-roadsters; and Polaris RMK®, INDY®, SWITCHBACK® and RUSH® snowmobiles. Polaris enhances the riding experience with parts, garments and accessories sold under multiple recognizable brands, and has a growing presence globally in adjacent markets with products including military and commercial off-road vehicles, quadricycles, and electric vehicles. www.polaris.com
