A small American flag hung on the handlebar of an electric bike in front of the stage at the American Legion in East Naples on Saturday morning. Soon, Ché Orr would start the 40-mile journey to the American Legion in Fort Myers.

“It’s my way of saying thank you,” she said.

Orr served in the army for 12 years. She served during Desert Storm and was injured in an explosion. She now experiences seizures and is unable to drive.

Her friends from various veteran organizations raised approximately $1,500 to purchase an electric bike for her. To show gratitude, Orr planned the trip with the hopes of bringing awareness to the veteran community and raise money.

The American Legion Auxiliary, The Forty and Eight, Sons of the American Legion, AMVETS and the AMVETS Ladies Auxiliary and private donors all helped raise the money.

“It’s not a me thing, it’s a we thing,” she said. "I could not do what I'm doing without the help of everybody here."

One car led Orr down U.S. 41 from American Legion Post 135 around 9:45 a.m. while three other cars followed.

She made one stop at at American Legion Post 303 in Bonita Springs to recharge her bike — which went about 17 mph — and made it to American Legion Post 274 in Fort Myers Beach by 12:30 p.m..

She brought along her “dirty old boot” that she wore in 1982 while she was a drill corporal and where she hoped to collect money at stoplights. Though she did not collect any money in the boot, the bike ride helped raise more than $2,500 from organizations and private donors.

Orr enlisted in the Army when she was 18 years old. It was a family tradition that she aimed to keep alive.

Her father served in Germany in the Korean war and her grandfather served in France during WWI when he was just 14 years old.

Orr now works at the Royal Wood County Club and at the Crooked Shillelagh, alongside other veterans.

Margaret Patrick, who goes by "Peggy," and whose late husband was a veteran, met Orr last year when they both volunteered to collect donations for American Legion during Easter weekend.

"It took me some time to convince her to accept help," Patrick said. "She's not an 'asker.' I had to convince her to allow people to help her.

Patrick, who gives Orr rides to work and does her laundry, said she now has a pool of eight to 10 people who will help her.

"She's never been someone to take," Patrick said. "But she's learned to accept more help now.

Orr hopes to make Saturday's bike ride a yearly tradition to keep bringing awareness to veteran communities.

"We need each other and we need to give back, Orr said. "We don't just say thank you, we do things to show it."