Local cyclists to honor fallen first responders with 400-mile bike ride

To showcase recognition and gratitude for fallen first responders and their families who have died in the line of duty in Kentucky, a registered 501(c)3 non-profit organization called The Kentucky Brotherhood Ride (KBR) will be riding bicycles through Kentucky and into the local area on Wednesday, July 19.

KBR is a group of passionate firefighters, police officers, EMS personnel, and the family of a fallen brother or sister, all ordinary folks who annually want to showcase care and honor by riding bicycles for 400 miles in four days.

You heard that correctly… bicycles, not motorcycles.

There are six organizations in the country, including Florida, Texas, the Carolinas, the Gulf Coast, and Kentucky; there is also one in New England.

Jeremy Bass, a member of KBR and retired Louisville Firefighter, spoke about the amount of hills in the City of Corbin, saying there were a lot.

“We are more than happy to ride those hills to demonstrate that we are not going to forget those sacrifices made, so it’s worth it,” Bass said.

34 cyclists and 26 support personnel will take on this year’s KBR—nine females will be contributing, which is a record for the organization.

“When we write out ‘Brotherhood’ from our name, we always capitalize ‘her.’ It’s not just dudes.” Bass emphasized.

KDR will leave the Barbourville Fire Department for lunch at 1 p.m. and come to Corbin on Highway 25. They will arrive at the Corbin Fire Department, 805 South Main Street, at 2:45 p.m. for a rest stop for roughly 30 minutes.

Afterward, they will go to the London Airport for an honor stop for a helicopter pilot from the “Danville Air Evac base” from 4:15-5:15 p.m.

Finally, they will arrive at the London Farmers Market for an honor stop at 5:30 p.m. for five families, including two families of London police officers, one from the Monticello Fire Department, one from the Casey County Detention Center, and one from the Taylor County Detention Center who were all lost in the line of duty.

They welcome folks to meet them along the route. If you do decide to attend, they ask that you bring an American flag and cheer on the riders as enthusiastically as possible.

KBR is asking for donations. All contributions, minus operating costs, directly benefit the families of the fallen.

For more information or to donate, visit their website at www.kentuckybrotherhood.org or their Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/KYBrotherhoodRide/. They welcome all questions.