Riding for, with Taryn

MORRIS — Following the death of his daughter, Taryn, in 2017, Jeff Paul joined a local group of individuals supporting veterans, schools and communities known as the American Legion Riders. For the past 10 years, Paul and fellow motorcyclists have honored and celebrated Taryn’s legacy through a memorial ride, with this year’s being the last.

“It’s just awesome to see all the support,” Paul said. “If we can keep it going and just change it up, it’s going to be great.”

Paul first became involved with the Morris American Legion Riders chapter in 2017 after several members, also his friends, wanted to host a benefit ride for Taryn, who had been in a car accident. After eight days in the hospital, she passed.

“We turned it into our first memorial ride,” Paul said. “Within the next year, the director got me signed up, and I joined the Legion Riders with some of my other friends, and we’ve kept the memorial ride going.”

Since joining, Paul has become assistant director and watched the group grow from eight members to nearly 70, including his wife, Heidi, and stepdaughter, Morgan Ruona. As a local farmer, Paul knows how tight-knit the community can be, with a few other farmers being a part of the Morris American Legion Riders as well. He farms kidney beans, soybeans and corn while raising over 4,000 hogs near Hancock.

Each memorial ride for Taryn has grown over the years, Paul said; they have evolved from small, motorcycle-only events into large community gatherings, bringing in donations and adding classic cars to the back of the pack. He credits current director Shane Nelson and former director Brooks Hill for being fundamental figures in supporting and organizing the rides.

“Brooks actually moved to Arizona this last year, but he came back two weeks ago and helped run this last ride,” Paul said.

Not all memorial rides have gone so smoothly, particularly the first one. The event was put together last minute, and because it was in the fall, not many riders came out, Paul said. Yet, he was not discouraged.

“It started to rain, and it got cold, so we ended up calling it short,” he said. “But that was Taryn’s way of saying hi to us and wishing us luck.”

With the final and 10th ride Aug. 15 garnering almost 100 participants, Paul said it was a record number for the group. Many from the community came out to enjoy the ride along with raffles and gift prizes.

“That was a tough one; I was choked up,” Paul said. “It just makes me feel great with all the Legion Riders that have become part of my family. I love the guys, and what they do is awesome.”

Even though memorial rides for Taryn are no longer, she is with Paul every time he puts the kickstand up. In 2018, Paul’s plain white Harley-Davidson received a custom paint job, turning it into a memorial mural for Taryn.

“It makes me feel as good as I can every time I get on the bike,” he said. “She’s riding with me.”

The bike, airbrushed with various images of Taryn and some of her favorite items, was painted by Count’s Kustoms, a custom hot rod and motorcycle shop, in Las Vegas. The shop is well known for having its own show, “Counting Cars,” on the History Channel.

“There were 15 of us and my family, and they unveiled it for us,” Paul said. “Then, they had it shipped back on the semi that winter; it was quite an experience.”

Paul and the riders continue to give back to the community, raising money through fundraisers, raffles and other methods. Additionally, the group provides scholarships to students at Morris Area High School, with $20,000 being given out so far and overall fundraising exceeding $30,000. To apply for the Taryn Paul High School Memorial Scholarship, students must write an essay about organ donation and veterans.

“There are so many people in need all the time,” Paul said. “I know people that have received organs and people that have donated, so you don’t think about it until you need one, you have one to give, or have been faced with that decision.”

For Paul, highlighting the importance of organ donation is crucial, especially as Taryn was a donor and saved three lives after she passed.

“It just gets the kids talking; they’re at that age, getting their licenses,” he said.

To connect and give back to the community, the Morris American Legion Riders hold weekly Thursday night rides, meeting at bars or restaurants for dinner and drinks; anyone from the public can join. The group also hosts their Summer Ride the weekend after the Fourth of July. The money donated this year goes to Honor Flight, an organization that flies American veterans to Washington, D.C., to visit memorials and honor their service.

Looking toward the future, the Morris American Legion Riders are planning to transition to a broader memorial ride, allowing any community member to honor lost loved ones. While nothing is finalized yet, Paul hopes to continue the annual ride on the Saturday during the Stevens County Fair.

“This year was really sad to me knowing that it was going to be the so-called last one, because it’s been just awesome,” Paul said. “I want to open it up, and we’re going to make it a memorial ride and involve anybody that’s lost a loved one.”