A group of 20 police officers and firefighters visited Bainbridge on Monday as part of a 700-plus mile ride they are on to honor all the Southeastern U.S. emergency responders that passed away in the line of duty in 2012.

The bike ride is called the “Brotherhood Ride.” It began in Brooksville, Fla., on May 3 and will end in Decaturville, Tenn., on May 11.

On Monday morning, the bike riders came up U.S. Highway 27 South from Tallahassee to Bainbridge, where they were greeted by Bainbridge Public Safety officers, who are dual-trained for both police work and firefighting.

BPS Fire Prevention Major Doyle Welch had invited the Brotherhood riders to stop and have lunch at the BPS’s new headquarters on Louise Street. There, the bike riders were offered sandwiches, fruit and healthy drinks to help fuel their progress.

“As emergency responders ourselves, what the bike riders are doing to support the families of fallen officers means a lot to us,” Welch said. “We just wanted to thank the riders and do what we could to help them on their trip.”

After the lunch, during which the riders had a chance to chat with BPS officers, the bike riders were off again, making a quick stop in Donalsonville on their way to Dothan, Ala., and eventually to Tennessee. At press time, the riders were a few miles north of Ozark, Ala.

The Brotherhood Ride was created to honor the memories of fallen law enforcement officers and firefighters. The riders’ goal is to increase public awareness of the dangers that emergency responders face and the sacrifices that they and their families sometimes have to make. The ride’s organizers encourage people to make donations that will benefit the families of fallen emergency responders.

For more information on the Brotherhood Ride or to donate to its fund, visit www.brotherhoodride.com or find them on “Facebook at www.facebook.com/brotherhoodride.”