MUKWONAGO, Wis. — A Wisconsin volunteer organization that works to make sure every veteran gets the honor they deserve at the end of their lives is asking for support to reach more military families.

The American Legion Riders organization is hosting the No Next of Kin (NNOK) Ride on Saturday, June 1 at the Mukwonago American Legion Post 375. It includes prizes, a raffle, food and entertainment.

The NNOK Ride is open to everyone, whether on motorcycles or in vehicles. It’s $25 for every driver and $10 per passenger. There will be scavenger hunt questions through Kenosha, Racine, Rock, Walworth and Waukesha Counties. Registration for the event opens at 8:30 a.m. on June 1.

Randy Timms, who leads the American Legion post, said they are hoping to raise a lot of money for the cause.

“No veteran should take their final journey alone,” Timms said. “I believe that that is our strong statement. It’s unthinkable that someone who has served this country in an honorable fashion should go to their grave without any recognition whatsoever.”

(Photo Courtesy of Sue Ward)

The ride raises money specifically for the “Terrence Sund Memorial Fund.” Terrence Sund, a soldier from Wisconsin, was killed in combat during the Vietnam War. He was cremated. But, 10 years ago, Sund’s ashes were found “unclaimed” within a military cemetery.

Sund’s sister, Sue Ward, had no idea. She was a teenager when he was killed in Vietnam. She remembers her family had a memorial service for her brother at the time.

“I was so troubled about that,” Ward said. “He was my hero.”

(Photo Courtesy of Sue Ward)

She was notified of her brother’s ashes by an American Legion task force working to connect unclaimed cremated remains of military members to families.

Steven Conto is part of that task force in Wisconsin. He brought Sund’s ashes home to Ward.

“Of all of them, this is the one that is most moving, and the one I am most proud of,” Conto said.

Ward was then able to have a proper burial with full military honors for her brother after all these years.

(Photo Courtesy of Sue Ward)

“To be able to right that,” she said. “To be able to make that situation right means everything to me. It was just a breathtaking ceremony. It was one of those that just makes you proud.”

As a way to pay forward that feeling of relief, Ward and Conto created the Terrence Sund Memorial Fund to help make sure every veteran gets laid to rest with honors.

“For veterans that didn’t have family or didn’t have a proper burial, that there would be resources to help them,” Ward said.