$10,000 benefit

The Hunter Alexander Frank Memorial Ride and Benefit Dinner, held September 10, 2022, raised $10,500 to support the chosen charity, Wounded Warriors Family Support. Maggi and Brandon Flores extend their thanks to all of the businesses and individuals that helped with or donated to the event. Next year, the Floreses plan to host the third annual Hunter Alexander Frank Memorial with even more exciting features than this year’s. The 2022 benefit will officially be known as the second annual event, with the first being a smaller ride which Brandon Flores arranged last year, and which inspired the creation of the benefit event.

The memorial ride the afternoon of September 10th consisted of twenty-five motorcycles and six cars. Chad Frank, father to Hunter Alexander Frank, drove behind the “pack” in his truck with his motorcycle strapped into the bed, to leave a seat for Hunter. Each time the riders stopped, photos of Frank and a pair of his boots were set up in the truck bed, and the same was on display outside the Waseca American Legion during the evening. During the riders’ last stop, at Woodville Cemetery where Frank is buried, Frank’s sister Indya Frank revved the bike’s engine for him. This was followed by all the riders revving their engines together unprompted, paying their respects to Frank in a unique way which moved members of his family to tears. “I was overwhelmed with emotion basically the entire time,” says Brandon Flores about the people who came to honor his brother with him. “Every time I glanced into my rearview mirror and saw all of those headlights I was filled with a sense of camaraderie and purpose. Talking to people at every stop showed that nothing but support made it really special.”

The silent auction featured 81 items and accounted for just under half of the total funds raised. Several big-ticket items were sold, including quarter- and half-cows of beef, electric guitars, and several firearms, but Maggi Flores notes that many of the items large and small sold for more than their value, contributing heavily to the auction’s success. “It was a very generous community,” she said.

The rest of the funds raised came from the 180 tickets sold, registration fees for the ride, and cash donations, with donations being the largest single source after the auction. On September 15, Brandon Flores rode his motorcycle down to Omaha, Nebraska to meet with CEO and President of Wounded Warriors Family Support, Kate McCauley, and personally present her the check. After working closely with both Floreses throughout the organization of the event, McCauley adjusted her schedule to be able to personally meet Brandon that afternoon. Regarding McCauley’s personal attention, Brandon Flores said, “It feels otherworldly and I hope that this is the start of a great relationship for years to come.”