If you look out your window on New Year's Day, you may see a crowd of motorcycles zooming down the road. They are part of an annual ride to benefit veterans.

"We take the same route every year, and people know about it, so they come out and kids come out holding flags and cheering us on," said Tyler Stumpf, one of the event organizers. "It's become a New Year's tradition."

The is the 14th year for the event, which will be held on Sunday, Jan. 1. Registration will begin at 10:30 a.m., and the ride will leave from the Walter S. Ebersole American Legion Post 185, 255 W. Main St., Mount Joy, at 1 p.m. The ladies auxiliary will serve breakfast items before the ride.

The 25-mile ride will follow a route along the Susquehanna River and conclude at the Elizabethtown American Legion Post 329, 240 N. Hanover St., where a pork and sauerkraut meal will be served following the ride. An auction will be held there as well, featuring items donated by local businesses. T-shirts and patches will also be for sale. Proceeds from the event will benefit veterans in the Lebanon VA Medical Center. Since its inception, the ride has raised more than $240,000, Stumpf said, adding, "We will hit the quarter-million mark this year."

Each year, the event includes fun traditions such as Baby New Year, when a participant is chosen for the honor and must attend in a baby costume and sash. This year's honoree is Brian Landvader.

Over the years, the ride has grown significantly, Stumpf said. "We started with 11 motorcycles, and now we're averaging about 400 motorcycles," he commented. "When all the bikes are lined up on Main Street in Mount Joy, it's really something to see."

Billy Hecht, who is also helping to organize the ride, said the event has continued to be popular because it not only offers a fun excursion for participants, but it also supports an important cause. "A lot of people like that the money stays local," he noted. "One hundred percent of the money goes strictly to the veterans' needs."

The event will be held rain, snow or shine, and participants are encouraged to come with any form of transportation. "You don't have to come with a motorcycle," Hecht shared. "You can drive a car or a truck. You can come in any vehicle."

For more information on the event, call Stumpf at 717-468-6197 or Hecht at 717-283-6379.