Local American Legion hosts fundraiser for PTSD awareness

The Eyota American Legion hosted the Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) Awareness Ride Fundraiser Saturday.

The Fundraiser consisted of a self-guided route for bikers, food and an auction. 

All proceeds collected from the fundraiser were donated to Soldier's 6, which is a Minnesota nonprofit that pairs a PTSD service dog with a first responder or veteran. 

Sunshine Miller is the Secretary for the American Legion in Eyota and said the self-guided route was created for veterans with PTSD.

"Those that have PTSD sometimes do not like big groups. They may not like riding together and so we offer a ride that is for them," Miller said. 

Miller's fiance, Mark Maloney, created the event almost four years ago to help raise awareness for PTSD.

Maloney is a Gulf War veteran and said he suffers from the condition as well. 

Maloney also said the annual event has helped him cope with the detrimental condition. 

"Through this event that I have been doing, it has been bringing me out in front of the crowd now, instead of being always in the shadows," Maloney said. 

The United States Department of Veteran Affairs estimates that 12% of Gulf War veterans, 15% of Vietnam veterans and almost 20% of the Iraq War veterans have PTSD.