2011 Warrior Ride

September 15 - 18, 2011

This year marked the Sixth Annual Warrior Ride of the Willis Foundation. The riders rode bicycles 260 miles from Mount Pleasant (through Fremont, Holland and Paw Paw) to the Fort Custer National Cemetery in Battle Creek where Corporal Christopher Kelly Willis is buried.

They continued to the Battle Creek military base where a reception for the riders, families, guests, and service people from the base was held.

Riders had the option of participating in the full four (4) day ride or "Last Leg" on the final day of the ride which is fifteen miles from Bronson Park in Kalamazoo to the Battle Creek military base.

This year's scholarship award recipient is Avery Danielle Matteoni (born February 2011), daughter of Sergeant Anthony Matteoni who was born on April 6, 1988 and passed away on October 1, 2010.

Originally from Union City, MI, Sergeant Matteoni graduated from Union City High School in 2006 and joined the United States Marine Corps.  In August of 2009, Anthony joined the 2nd Battalion, 6th Marines and deployed to Afghanistan.

Sgt Matteoni was killed in the Helmund Province of Afghanistan on October 1, 2010, one day after finding out he would be a father to a little girl.