Polaris Donates Vehicles for Oklahoma Tornado Relief

Polaris has announced that it is donating 10 military off-road vehicles to The Salvation Army to assist in relief efforts after last week’s tornado in central Oklahoma.

The military units are designed to enhance The Salvation Army’s ability to transport food, water and other critical supplies to survivors in Moore, Okla. Bay and Bay Transport and Overbye Trucking have donated their resources to deliver the units to Oklahoma from Polaris’ plant in Osceola, Wis.

“With debris on the ground from thousands of destroyed homes, these vehicles will allow us to serve in places our mobile kitchens cannot,” said Lt. Col. Robert Thomson, northern division commander for The Salvation Army. “We thank Polaris for this incredible gift. These vehicles will allow us to serve more people in crisis.”

The donated units, a combination of military ATV, Ranger and RZR vehicles, are outfitted with either Run Flat tires or NPTs to prevent downtime. Run-Flat tires resist the effects of deflation when punctured, giving the operator the ability to continue to use the vehicle, and NPTs are built to never go flat and are virtually indestructible.

“Oklahoma will rebound from this terrible tragedy through the resiliency of its people and the assistance of organizations like The Salvation Army,” said Scott Wine, CEO of Polaris. “Polaris has long supported their charitable efforts, and we hope the donation of these vehicles will assist them as they provide the affected communities with the relief they desperately need.”

To date, The Salvation Army has served more than 17,000 meals and snacks to tornado survivors and relief workers across Oklahoma, with pastoral care provided to about 800 people, according to Polaris. The Salvation Army is now preparing to offer long-term case management, which includes things like financial assistance, stress management classes and replacement furniture.

To donate to The Salvation Army’s Oklahoma tornado relief efforts:

Give online at SalvationArmyNorth.org or call 800-SAL-ARMY (725-2769)
Text “STORM” to 80888 to make a $10 donation via your mobile phone. To confirm your gift, respond “Yes.”
Mail a check to The Salvation Army, 2445 Prior Ave. N., Roseville, MN 55113. Designate your gift as “Oklahoma Tornado.”

The Sturgis Motorcycle Museum and Hall of Fame recently named Marilyn Stemp and Steve Piehl to its board of directors.

Stemp is a pioneering figure in the motorcycle industry, founding IronWorks Magazine with her late husband, Dennis, and becoming the first female editor of a nationally circulated, mainstream motorcycle magazine. She also revived their trade magazine, Iron Trader News; edits the monthly Kiwi Indian News; contributes to several powersports media outlets; and is the founding editor of Sturgis Rider Daily. Stemp is a noted editor and writer of several motorcycle-focused books. Her consistent support for charitable efforts in the industry include the annual Biker Belles Celebration, Las Vegas BikeFest and as campaign chair for the Sturgis Motorcycle Museum’s development plan in 2014. She co-founded the Flying Piston charity events taking place in Daytona and Sturgis each year and is a National Ambassador for All Kids Bike. Stemp was inducted into both the Las Vegas Motorcycle Hall of Fame and the Sturgis Museum's Hall of Fame in 2018, and in 2022 she was recognized as one of the Top 100 Women in Powersports by DealerNews.