Groton Event Will Honor Fallen Soldier

A motorcycle dealership in Groton will hold a day of events Saturday to honor a local soldier who died of injuries sustained in Afghanistan last year.

Mike's Famous Harley-Davidson will hold the events from 9 a.m. to 3:45 p.m. The business is offering discounts to all service members, veterans, retirees, law enforcement, fire and emergency medical services. Hot dogs, hamburgers, soda, and chips will be available for a $5 donation and baby back ribs from Russell's Ribs for $15. Proceeds from the event will benefit the “Neighbors Supporting Sgt. Edwin Rivera’s Family” fund.

"His family currently lives in the house where Edwin grew up. The house is filled with memories of their son, husband, and father, reminders of their great loss," a notice of the event states. "His family recently purchased another home in Waterford, where they can continue to heal. The house is in need of extensive rehabilitation. Together as a community we can make a difference for SSG Rivera’s family, and provide the financial, material and work required to make this house their new home."

Rivera was born on May 10, 1982 in New London and graduated from Waterford High School in 2000. He worked as a security guard at Millstone Nuclear Power Station and joined the Connecticut Army National Guard in 2002, initially working as a chemical weapons specialist before he became an infantryman. Rivera was serving his second tour of duty in Afghanistan when he was wounded by enemy fire. He died of the injuries on May 25, 2010 at the Naval Medical Center in Bethesda, Md.

Sunset Ribs in Waterford will join in the effort between 3 p.m. and 6 p.m., offering a quaesadilla and baby back ribs special with 50 percent of the proceeds going to the renovation fund. A parade of motorcycles will depart Mike's Famous Harley-Davidson at 4 p.m. and ride to Sunset Ribs.

Rivera is also the posthumous grand marshal of the in New London, which departs from at 10 a.m. and finishes at Parade Plaza at noon.