Category: Midway Route Coordinator News

Greetings RFTW Family!

RFTW XXXII may be postponed but we are continuing to work on our 2020 mission.  Our Midway leadership team is continuing to build, what I am calling, our “Book of Midway”.  This is a system that will contain all the important information that is needed to coordinate and construct our Midway route from year to year.  Our unsung heroes, the State Coordinators, will be playing a vital role in its success and implementation. The goal is to build consistency on how things are done for our route through all the states we cross and will greatly help with the transition of leadership positions and the sustainability of our route.   Once accomplished, it will make our route more efficient and benefit RFTW for many years to come.  Also, I have updated our Midway contact list on the rftw.us website.  The only people listed on that list is leadership who have replied to my request to confirm their commitment to serve on Midway 2021.  There are MANY open positions! Please go to that list and see if you are on it.  If you are not, it means that I have not received your notification and you do not have the position.  Please let me know that you are available to come back and serve in the position for 2021.  At that time, we can confirm your position and add you to the list.  I hope to have you all return to our team for 2021.  We are moving forward!

Speaking of moving forward, I am very excited to announce our Tennessee ALL ROUTE reunion!  It is our first reunion of its kind and I feel it is very appropriate, especially for a year where our RFTW route has been postponed until 2021.  Hopefully, this Covid-19 pandemic will be over and we will be good to go. We are calling it our “Tour of Tennessee Reunion”.  Like the other reunions, it will be an “unofficial” – “non-sanctioned” event.  However, it will be like a mini RFTW route over the 4^th of July weekend.  We made sure that this reunion did not conflict with Angel Fire this year and want to encourage ALL ROUTES to join us for this reunion.  The reunion will begin on July 2^nd with nightly stops in Memphis, Franklin and Cookeville.  Communities will host us; we will visit TN veteran’s cemetery and memorials. We will have wreath laying ceremonies and visit VA hospitals and finish with a big finale dinner in Cookeville.  Cookeville will also have a large fireworks display that evening. We will have plenty to do to socialize and visit with our RFTW family with nights of food, drinks and music at Kimbro’s Picking Parlor, BBQ at Rendezvous, free time on Beale Street and Downtown Nashville just to name a few things.  I have included the entire agenda with hotel info for your review.  All hotel blocks are open at this time and will close on June 4^th.

You may register for this event on the RFTW.US website under the Midway Hub.  The following link will also take you to the registration: LINK.  The fee is $25/PP plus other fees for the events you choose to attend.  Fees need to be paid in advance for planning purposes.

Pay via VENMO to: @Gina-Cutrer-1
Make a Check to: Gina Cutrer  write reunion in the memo.
Mail Check to:  Reunion,  33538 Nancy Drive, Walker, LA 70785
 If any excess money is collected, it will go to the Tennessee tornado relief fundraiser. 

IS IT JULY YET????

With much respect and gratitude,
Ken “Six String” Dugas
Midway Route Coordinator

2020 Tour of Tennessee Reunion
Hosted by Midway Route
2 July – 4 July, 2020

Come join the fun in Tennessee over 4^th July weekend.  We will be riding halfway across the State of Tennessee.  Planned activities include 2 wreath laying ceremonies, Song Writers Night Out, Moonshine Harley Davidson Dealer party, visit two VA hospitals and ride into Cookeville for dinner and 2^nd largest firework show in Tennessee, open evenings in Memphis and Nashville, and – and – and.

Hotel reservation blocks are open and closes 4 June 2020.

Memphis, TN (2 July 2020)
Crown Plaza Memphis Downtown
300 N. Second Street., Memphis, TN 38103
Reservation Number:  1-901-525-1800
Group Rate: $119.00)
Group Name: Run-For-The-Wall

Franklin, TN (3 July 2020)
Drury Plaza Hotel
1874 West McEwen Ave., Franklin, TN 37067
Reservation Number:  1-800-325-0720
Group Number:  2413591  (Rate $134.00)
Group Name:  Veteran’s Reunion Run-For-The-Wall

Cookeville, TN (4 July 2020)
Country Inn & Suites
1151 S. Jefferson Ave., Cookeville, TN 38506
Reservation Number:  1-931-525-6668
Group Rate $85.00
Group Name:  Reunion Run-For-The-Wall

Agenda

Thursday, 2 July
1400 – 1700                 Lobby Registration
1815 – 1825                 Meet in lobby for move to Charlie Vergos’ Rendezvous (Ribs & BBQ)
1830 – 2100                 Dinner Rendezvous ($36.00 ea.) {52 S. 2^nd Street} or  On Your Own!
1830 – until                  Open Beale Street Music and Blues

Friday, 3 July
0630 – 0730                 Lobby Registration
0700 – 0900     Hot Breakfast @ Hotel
0930 – 0945                 Hotel Parking Garage Stage (Rider Meeting)
1000 – 1145                 I-40 to Exit 108 Parkers Crossroad, TN State Veterans Cemetery
1200 – 1215     Lay Wreath (693 Wildersville Road, Wildersville, TN)
1230 – 1345     Marathon Fuel/Lunch Subway $7.00 ea. (1:15 Fuel/Lunch Stop)
1400 – 1645     Ride to Host Hotel Franklin, TN
1715 – 1800                 Lobby Reception / Registration
1830 – 1855     Stage & Ride to Kimbro’s ($10.00 ea. cover / open bar & food)
1900 – until      Song Writers @ Kimbro’s Picking Parlor, Franklin, TN
1900 – until                On your own Downtown Or Grand Ole Opry. Buy your tickets online!

Saturday, 4 July 2020
0630 – 0730                 Lobby Registration
0700 – 0900     Hot Breakfast @ Hotel
0900 – 1100                 Breakout to VA Hospital Downtown (Limited to 20 Bikes)
1030 – 1045     Hotel Parking Stage for ride to Moonshine Harley Davidson
1045 – 1100     Ride to Moonshine Harley Davidson (Free Lunch)
1100 – 1215     MoonShine HD (1:15 Lunch)
1215 – 1230     Stage for ride to Murfreesboro VA
1230 – 1330                 Ride to Murfreesboro VA Hospital (01:00 Visit)
1430 – 1500                 Ride to Lebanon Veterans Memorial/Museum (01:00 Visit)
1500 – 1630                 Breakout to Cookeville Tornado Damage then Dinner (One Platoon)
1500 – 1600                 Lay Wreath at Lebanon Veterans Memorial
1600 – 1610                Stage for ride to Cookeville
1615 – 1715                 Ride to Cookeville
1715 – 1800                 Reception and Dinner provided by Cookeville

Sunday, 5 July 2020
0700 – 0900     Hot Breakfast @ Hotel
1100                            Check-out

Greetings RFTW family from sunny south Louisiana. Yes, it has finally stopped raining, (at least for today). The sun is shining and we are moving forward with our mission!

A lot of people are going through very tough times right now. Our veterans and all our RFTW family need to know that we are here for each other and support one another. Please reach out to your RFTW family if you need us. At this time, I would like to remind everyone of the tragic tornado devastation to our friends and family in the Cookeville and Lebanon Tennessee areas. These towns are great supporters of RFTW. Several people have reached out to me to ask if there was something we can do to help. With the help of the TN State Coordinators, I am pleased to tell you the answer is yes!

I did not want to set something up to send money to a place where our donations would be lost and we wouldn’t know what the money was used for. Our Tennessee State Coordinators have reached out to the people in the area to determine what we could do to help veterans that were in dire need of help to recover from the tornado. Our donations will be going directly to help needy veterans! Some cannot afford to even start the rebuilding process!

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I have spoken with our Treasurer, Ken Ward and he has helped to set up the process for this. If you would like to donate to this cause, please make checks payable to: Run for the Wall (RFTW) and mail to:
RFTW attn: Ken Ward
1766 S. Erie Highway, Hamilton, OH  45011
IMPORTANT!: Make sure you write “Midway Tornado Relief” on the note line. If you do not, your donation will not go to this cause.

The “Donate” button on the RFTW.US website has been moved to the front page. You can also use this button to donate through PayPal. If you are donating for this cause, you need to make sure that you put “Midway Tornado relief” in the note section or, once again, your donation will not go to this cause.

There are so many people who need help. However, I hope our efforts make you feel comfortable that your donations will get to our veterans in need. I want to thank our TN State Coordinator Ron “Sky” King and his Assistant SC, Ed “Midway” Butler for their efforts to make sure our donations will go to help veterans.

Ed personally worked in a veteran’s home to assist with salvaging and recovering their belongings from what was their home. They survived in a closet under the stairs, the only room intact.  Ed said, “There are no words to express the sadness and hurt a person feels working to pick up a lifetime of families heirlooms.”

We have RFTW “boots on the ground” there to oversee the distribution of our donations.

The point of contact is the Putnam Veteran’s Service office. Although we have been told they had not identified all of the veterans effected, they have had several come in asking for assistance. We are focused on the Veterans.

Hwy 70 is where the main tornado damage occurred. Two of these hwy 70 signs were made specifically for RFTW. The largest donor will get one of the signs and the other sign will accompany us on RFTW to be signed and them given back to Cookeville.

I invite people from all routes to contribute to this cause if they would like. We are 4 routes but 1 mission. I will keep you updated from time to time on how our fundraising for the tornado victims is going.

Thank you in advance for your generosity.

Sincerely,
Ken “Six String” Dugas
Midway Route Coordinator

Greetings RFTW Midway Family!

I know we are all disappointed about our 2020 run being cancelled.  I needed a couple of days for this to settle in and spend with my grandchildren.  Now, I am back in the saddle!  I plan on taking this negative and making it a positive by focusing on the future.  I hope you all will as well.

I thank you for your support over this past year.  I am so proud of our team and the job they have done.  We had several new and exciting things we were going to incorporate into our 2020 route.  We will just continue to work on them and make it even better for 2021.

Looking forward, I have spoken with my wife “High Maintenance”, and with the support of our Midway team, I will accept the RC 2021 position. I really want to finish what we have started this year. 

We will turn the cancelation of our 10 day Run into a yearlong mission.  Our Run might have been cancelled but our Mission lives on.  Our Outreach Coordinator and her team have an excellent and exciting plan that I look forward to sharing with all of you.  Plans have begun on a very unique reunion idea that most likely will be held over the 4^th of July weekend.  We will continue to have a fund raiser to help veterans in dire need from the Cookeville tornado devastation.  We will have the drawing for the $1000 hotel prize.  We will be here for any of our veterans that need our support.

I have already begun the work of assembling our team for 2021.  “High Maintenance” and I will be taking this opportunity to make all three reunions if possible.   I will continue to post RC Newsletters to keep everyone updated as to what we have going on and the progress we are making.  I hope that you all will begin your planning to join us for RFTW 2021!

With much respect and gratitude,

Ken “Six String” Dugas
Midway RC

Greetings RFTW Midway family,

I attended the Board of Directors meeting that was called to discuss the Covid-19 virus situation and the effect on RFTW 2020.  Much discussion was had and after much consideration, I regret to inform you that RFTW 2020 has been cancelled.  It is with a heavy heart that I must tell you this because I know how important this mission is to everyone and how much work has gone into planning for this Run.  I am sure that you are all as disappointed about this as I am. 

I have been in touch with all the State Coordinators. Like most participants, some wanted us to continue and others did not think it was a good idea.  The CDC guidelines and many of the state’s government restrictions just made the planning for our route to go on practically impossible. 

The BOD is charged with the responsibility of making sure the Run for the Wall, as an organization, is protected and here to serve our mission for the future.  It was a difficult vote to make but was done for the benefit of RFTW’s future as well as for the safety of our RFTW family and supporters.  The 4 Route Coordinators understand and support their decision.  I hope you all will too. 

I want to thank everyone who put so much work into our mission for this year.  I am very grateful to all of you who put so much time and effort with me into this 2020 Run to make it, what I know would have been, such a special year. I do not want to single anyone out and it is not practical for me to list everyone. However, I must thank the State Coordinators and our Road Guard Captain!  An unbelievable number of hours were put in by these people. I also want to thank our ARC. He was thrown into this position at the last minute and was such a big help.  All our team leaders stepped up to the plate.  What a fantastic team we have put together!  I hope that you will all be here for us again for 2021! 

We realize that this mission touches and affects many communities across our country.  It was only right that we do not wait until the last minute to cancel this event this year.  In some areas, our State Coordinators were finding it very difficult to impossible to obtain the volunteers, supplies and donations to take care of us, and State’s restrictions would not allow our group to assemble.  We also must consider the impact we have on businesses, donors and volunteers.  For instance, we book hundreds of hotel rooms.  It would not be very respectful to the hotels to cancel all those rooms at the last minute.  They would probably be very reluctant to block rooms for us again next year.  Our Hosts will be buying all kinds of food and supplies for us, it would not be right to back out on them at the last minute and have them stuck with the expenses and wasted time put into this.

Our route was put together very well, and our leadership team represented RFTW very professionally.  We must cancel this event just as well and professionally.  We need time to contact the hotels, donors, hosts, Law Enforcement, community leaders, etc….   We must express our regret as well as our appreciation for their understanding and support.  We will ask for their continued support for next year as well! When cancelling your hotel reservations, please thank them and let them know that we look forward to staying with them next year. Please be a good ambassador for RFTW. It is a difficult time for them as well and we want them to look forward to working with us again.

I will continue to send out RC Newsletters with any updates that I can pass on to all of you to keep you informed as to what is going on with the Midway route. and our plans to prepare for 2021.

The BOD has asked me to return as Route Coordinator for 2021.  This route belongs to the Midway family.  If the Midway team will support my return, I would be honored to work another year as RC to serve the Midway Route for 2021.  I hope that we will be able to keep this fantastic team together!   I choose to not look at this as a negative thing but as a positive opportunity to begin work early for Midway 2021! God willing, this situation will pass soon. My trust is in God and if this situation changes soon enough, you never know, I may just show up at “The Wall” on my own for Memorial Day weekend. Maybe I will see some of you there!

I wish you all good health and happiness and I look forward to seeing as many of you as possible at the reunions.

Have I told you lately?……………………………………I love my RFTW Midway Family!

Sincerely and Respectfully,

Ken “Six String” Dugas
Midway Route Coordinator

Greetings RFTW Midway Family,

 I am writing this newsletter to give everyone an update concerning the coronavirus (COVID-19) and RFTW.   Social media is exploding with posts and comments about this virus.  I understand that many of you have questions about how this virus will affect Run for the Wall.  I truly understand the desire to get answers.  Unfortunately, no one has a crystal ball and the Run is still two months away.  This situation could change drastically by the time the Run begins.  However, I do want to let you know that the BOD and Route Coordinators are aware of the situation and are taking this very seriously.

Tonight, the BOD had a meeting and the coronavirus (covid-19) was the topic of discussion.  We will be monitoring the CDC’s recommendations and guidelines. The Route Coordinators will be staying in close communications with the State Coordinators to get an understanding of the situation in each state. We will be monitoring for any changes in our route status as well as reaching out to all our hosts that take care of us to monitor any changes that may affect them. 

Rest assured that I will do my best to keep you all informed of any changes that may take place, once said changes have been confirmed.  I will also keep you informed of any additional precautionary health and/or sanitary policies and procedures that may be implemented to address this concern.

Please keep in mind that RFTW BOD, RCs or any other person with RFTW cannot assure your personal health this year or any year.  Your choice to participate in RFTW is personal and best decided based on your personal condition and consulting with your doctor.  Again, this is not unique to this year and this virus situation.  Your health decisions should be between you and your physician.

I believe that prayer is always the answer.  I invite you to join me in praying that this virus situation is over and gone very soon!

Until then, I encourage you all to follow the CDC’s recommendations.  You can find out more on their website, cdc.gov. 

Wishing you all good health and happiness.                                             

Ken “Six String” Dugas
Midway Route Coordinator – 2020

Greetings RFTW Midway Family!

There is so much going on right now and I have a lot to share with you.  However, first thing, I regret to inform everyone that the Cookeville, Lebanon and Nashville, Tennessee areas were hit tragically by severe Tornados.  The community of Cookeville has been a longtime supporter of our route and mission and received the most damage.  That community has adopted us, and they truly have become part of our RFTW family.  This year, we will have another breakout to Lebanon for a wreath laying ceremony, a visit to their museum and a donated fuel stop.  I am excited to announce that, for the first time, we will have a breakout team visit the VA hospital in Nashville.  All three of these communities have become a part of our RFTW family and I ask that you keep them in your thoughts and prayers as they struggle through this tragic situation.  If you find it in your heart to help, I will be doing something on the route for us to collect money for RFTW Midway to donate to help with this disaster.

Now, on to more pleasant Ontario topics.  Carol Olmstead, our Ontario Coordinator, has made arrangements for our RFTW family to have some social time on the Sunday prior to our departure.  This will take place at the Gateway hotel during and following the Leadership Registration time and will be held by the pool.  There will be some finger foods and a cash beer and wine bar. There will also be a spaghetti dinner on Tuesday in Lot D after the meeting for $10.00 and all proceeds will go to RFTW.   If you will be in Ontario that Sunday and will attend this event and/or will want the Tuesday spaghetti dinner,  please email our ARC Jerry Wilkins at Jerry.Wilkins@rftw.us so he can get the headcount  for both events to Carol.  Please email Jerry ASAP.  Late Monday afternoon Chaffey College students earning their catering and baking degrees will have a cake baking contest.  We get to be the judges and eat the cakes! The bike wash this year at the Gateway will be in the front to the right as you enter the parking lot off of Holt.  Carol has been busy and we appreciate all her hard work.  A lot is going on in Ontario!

Life has been a little crazy for Midway planning lately.  We have had major changes in North Carolina. The Itinerary has been taken down from the website and the draft copies of the books are being printed. Once reviewed and finalized, the revised itinerary will be posted back on the website.  I would encourage everyone to read the new itinerary prior to arrival in Ontario.  Several changes and additions have been made.

As a reminder:  All animals, no matter what their designation, must be kept on a leash while around others.  A posting of RFTW Animal Leash Policy has been added to the Itinerary.  Also, everyone is welcome!  However, if you are a member of a motorcycle club, you must comply with all RFTW ‘s rules, policies and procedures. For the safety of the pack you will be assigned to platoons and may or may not be riding together.  With all due respect, this Run is not about anyone’s club or organization. It is a time for us all to become one RFTW family serving one mission. Thank you for your understanding.

RFTW will have the opportunity and honor to participate in the washing of the Korean Memorial Wall on the Sunday prior to Memorial Day.   I am looking for 6 more volunteers from Midway to serve on this detail.  I will also need 2 Midway Road Guards to assist with this mission.  If you are available on that Sunday for this and would like to participate, please email me as soon as possible.

We now have an opening for a Camping Coordinator.  If you are a camper and are interested in taking on this position, please let me know. 

Leadership, please review your team’s list on the website contact page to make sure it is accurate.  Let me know if any changes or additions are needed.

Hotel Raffle update: Your odds of winning the $1000 hotel raffle are still good.  Currently you have a 1 out of 32 people chance of winning!  Good news is that we have covered the cost of the prize plus a fuel stop with this raffle!  The 2-5 free tickets for purchasing the raffle tickets before the end of February has ended.  However, I believe we can get another fuel stop paid for with this raffle.  What do you think?  If interested, the cost per ticket is $10.00 or you can purchase 10 tickets for $50.00.  If you purchase $100.00 worth, you will get 25 tickets!    If you purchase 10 tickets or more before the end of April, you will receive 1 extra ticket (per 10) for free.  The tickets will be capped at 27 per person. Get your tickets early.  There will be no free tickets and the tickets capped at 25 after April!  If you would like to purchase the Hotel raffle tickets, please make check out to RFTW and send to:
Ken Dugas
9849 Loblolly Pines Lane
Denham Springs, La. 70726
You may also electronically send the money through Zelle.  Use my phone 225-405-2735.  Please send me an email at ken.dugas@rftw.us to let me know if you are sending money

What an awesome team we have on Midway!  So many people are doing so much work to make sure our 2020 route is a safe, successful and meaningful experience for everyone.  I thank you all for all of your hard work, dedication and support. I cant wait to see everyone again and I am looking forward to meeting all the FNGs. Welcome Home!

Have I told you lately?……………..I love my RFTW Family!
Is it May yet!

Honor * Hope* Healing

Ken “Six String” Dugas
RFTW 2020  Route Coordinator, Midway / ARC , Sandbox
Four Routes, One Mission!
Proud Father of a U.S. Marine and U.S. Sailor!
In God we Trust!”

Greetings RFTW Midway Family!

The excitement for RFTW XXXII continues to grow as we get closer to our departure to Ontario.  I am very much looking forward to seeing everyone again and meeting all the FNGs!  I just returned from the Board of Directors meeting in Dallas.  RFTW is in good hands and all routes are progressing well with their preparations for this year’s Run.  Our Midway Route is dealing with some last-minute changes.  I regret to inform everyone, due to a change in command and security concerns, we will not be able to go to Seymour Johnson Air Force Base.  With that said, our day 9 will be changing.  Good news is that we have another great day planned.  We will be joining AMVETS “Remembering on the River” event at River Falls Park in Weldon, NC.  Our North Carolina State Coordinators and our Road Guard Captain are working hard on the plans to adjust to this change.  It is possible that 2019 may be the one and only time any group will have had the honor and privilege to ride our motorcycles down the active runway of an Air Force base.  With that said, I have been asked about the SJ Air Force Base patches.  I had stopped selling that patch for fundraising.  However, with this turn of events and the fact that it may never happen again, I will place another order for the patches if anyone is interested in purchasing one to remember this awesome experience.  They are $25.00 and the profits go to our fuel.  You can get the ordering details on my previous newsletters on the Midway Hub on the RFTW.US website. (it is also the same as the hotel raffle tickets below)

Speaking of fundraisers, remember that the end of February is the deadline for getting your free hotel raffle tickets (up to 5 for early purchasing) when you purchase your tickets.  The prize is $1,000 for your hotel costs.  As of right now, if you purchased tickets, you have great odds of winning.  Currently, you are 1 of only 15 people to enter for this chance to win $1000! I don’t know of any other opportunity to win $1000 with those odds!  I encourage others to purchase your hotel raffle tickets for your chance to win!   Remember, all profits from this come back to our route in paid fuel.

The cost per ticket is $10.00 or you can purchase 10 tickets for $50.00!  If you purchase $100.00 worth, you will get 25 tickets.    If you purchase 10 tickets or more before the end of February, you will receive 2 extra ticket (per 10) for free.  The tickets will be capped at 30 per person.  If you would like to purchase the Hotel raffle tickets, please make check out to RFTW and send to:
Ken Dugas
9849 Loblolly Pines Lane
Denham Springs, La. 70726
You may also electronically send the money through Zelle.  Use my phone 225-405-2735.  Please send me an email at ken.dugas@rftw.us to let me know if you are sending money.

Make sure you and your bike are prepared for this cross-country journey.  It is not too early to start preparing.  Remember, the better prepared you are, the safer your journey can be.  I am feeling the torture of starting to exercising again. Just remember, no pain no gain! Ha Ha!

If you would like to be notified of these RFTW updates, please make sure that you sign up to receive email alerts.  Go to the bottom right corner on rftw.us and enter your email.  I will no longer be sending my updates via direct email.  They will be posted on the website and then you will receive an email notice if you have signed up for it.

Have I told you lately…………….. I love my RFTW Midway Family!  😊

Honor, Hope & Healing

Respectfully,

Ken “Six String” Dugas