SUNRISE, FLA. (WSVN) - Hundreds of first responders and military members in Broward County were revved up and hopped on their motorcycles for a noble cause.
Participants were up bright and early Saturday to be a part of Broward’s first county-wide LUTZapalooza, a 37-mile motorcycle honor ride to recognize military veterans and first responders across the county.
The police-escorted ride began at 9 a.m. at the Alligator Alley Harley-Davidson and ended at Markham Park in Sunrise.
“Today we’re all out here as a community to honor our veterans and our first responders who served, as well as their families,” said Sunrise Mayor Mike Ryan. “This is a first year of what’s gonna become, I think, an annual event where we all come together and make sure we’re there for our veterans and first responders.”
Hundreds of attendees and riders came together from all parts of the county. Some even rode down from Palm Beach.
“We’re assisting our Broward chapter down here. We have our own event up in Palm Beach County, but it’s all veteran-related, veteran and law enforcement through our club,” said one rider.
“It’s going fantastic. We had a great ride this morning. We had a lot of riders out. The weather couldn’t be better for it,” said Ryan. “Now we’re getting ready for some great music and some great fun.”
The festival at Markham Park included young musicians from the School of Rock and community organizations that support veterans, as well as fun and games for people of all ages.
Ryan said he’s proud of the work his city and the county have done to lead the nation in action and activism for these veterans and first responders.
“For us in the City of Sunrise, we’ve had a long relationship with the Buddy Up Program. It’s really focused on those veterans who come home with scars that can’t be seen,” he said, “and so we’re really proud to be part of this and continue to raise awareness on behalf of those veterans and their families.”
LUTZapalooza was named for Lance Cpl. Janos V. Lutz, who committed suicide in 2013 after serving in the U.S. Marine Corps. The event was organized by the LCpl Janos V. Lutz Live to Tell Foundation, which is founded by his mother Janine, who is known as Mama Lutz.
Copyright 2025 Sunbeam Television Corp. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.