Second Annual Ride for Tomorrow scheduled June 24-25

Press release

BILLINGS — The second annual Ride for Tomorrow — RFT — is scheduled to have kickstands up June 24 and 25.

Last year, the inaugural ride had more than 50 riders participate, cumulatively adding over 52,000 miles to the conversation of suicide prevention and awareness in Montana. This year’s organizers include Dog Tag Buddies, the Yellowstone Chapter of the American Legion Riders, Billings Chapter of Tenacious Dames Riding Club, and the Suicide Prevention Coalition of Yellowstone Valley.

This year, the ride is comprised of four routes, reaching almost every corner of the state: a 300-mile, 500-mile, 1000-mile to be completed in 24 hours, and 1500-mile route to be completed in 36 hours.

Riders will start and end all four routes in Billings and events are scheduled to take place during the day of the 25, including a mental health resource fair open to the public. Additionally, official stops along each route are established in 22 Montana communities, where riders will stop for fuel and refreshments, and volunteers will be available to help provide resources for suicide prevention.

“Like some of the other riders, I am a disabled veteran who suffers from mental health issues, and I would love to do this again next year,” an RFT rider said. “I don’t think there is enough information out there about suicide prevention, and I am honored to help spread the word.”

“Ride for Tomorrow is not just for people who ride,” said Kati Grove, Operations Director of Dog Tag Buddies. “It’s for any and everyone interested in adding their voice to a very real, critical dialogue in Montana. We are looking for volunteers and local business sponsors across the state to create strong collective support of the event.”

For the past 40 years, Montana has ranked in the top five states for highest suicide rates per capita, with veterans and youth most at-risk for death by suicide.

“There’s no denying that we, as a state, still have a lot of work to do,” said DeeDe Baker, executive director of Dog Tag Buddies. “Last year, we shaped this event as a call-to-action for increased awareness of suicide and the de-stigmatization of mental illness on the community level. And in 2022, we’re prepared to create an even bigger impact.”

People who are interested in riding, volunteering, or sponsoring can visit the official Ride for Tomorrow webpage, https://dogtagbuddies.org/ride-for-tomorrow .

To learn more about Ride for Tomorrow and Dog Tag Buddies, people can visit their Facebook pages, @DogTagBuddies and @ridefortomorrow406, and https://dogtagbuddies.org .

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National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 1-800-273-8255

Veterans Crisis Line: 1-800-273-8255, Press 1

Crisis Text Line: Text “Hello” to 741-741