Segway Riders Club of The Villages donates Segway to Florida National Cemetery

The Segway Riders Club of The Villages recently donated a Segway to the Florida National Cemetery in Bushnell. This machine had previously been awarded to David Melancon, who passed away suddenly shortly after receiving it in November 2017.

After a tour of the National Cemetery in September of last year, the Club asked whether the cemetery could use a Segway in managing the cemetery and caring for Veterans graves. Cemetery Executive Director Tony Thomas said that not only could a Segway assist in the day-to-day activities of the cemetery, but it would be particularly useful on heavy traffic days, such as Memorial Day and Veterans Day. He also is thinking of other innovative ways to use the machine to honor veterans and assist visitors to the cemetery.

The Florida National Cemetery is administered by the United States Department of Veterans Affairs and encompasses 512.9 acres.  It began interments in 1988. 

Burial in a national cemetery is open to all members of the armed forces who have met a minimum active duty service requirement and were discharged under conditions other than dishonorable. A veteran’s spouse, widow or widower, minor dependent children, and under certain conditions, unmarried adult children with disabilities may also be eligible for burial. 

The cemetery features a Memorial Pathway that is lined with a variety of memorials that honor America’s veterans. As of April 2018, there were 51 such memorials at Florida National Cemetery — most commemorating soldiers and veterans of 20th-century conflicts.

The Segway Riders Club was formed in 2007 and has more than 360 members who travel throughout the State of Florida on a mission of fun and discovery. Each month, club members travel along Florida’s city streets and historic areas or down the trails and footpaths of her state parks and recreation areas. Each outing provides both a piece of history and a view of the scenic beauty of the country’s Sunshine State.

Like so many other clubs in the Villages, The Segway Riders Club also raises money to help others by doing a bi-annual Segway Experience that allows Villagers to experience a 30-minute Segway ride in The Villages for $30. All proceeds are used to purchase a Segway for a Villages veteran that is eligible for membership in the Disabled American Veterans.  The local Chapter 150 of the DAV supplements funds raised by the Segway Club and assists in finding Veterans who would benefit from a Segway. To date, the club has raised well over $50,000 to help mobility challenged veterans.

The next Segway Experience is on March 18 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the SeaBreeze Recreation Center and tickets are available for purchase at The Villages Box Office.

For further information, contact Club President Ken Redding at (774) 287-0152.