Aloha RTFW ‘Ohana,
Greetings from a Sunny and pleasant Honolulu. We are getting close to our Workday and Reunion in Angel Fire. So far, we have 82 people planning to attend and Lay Bricks at the Memorial and enjoy some camaraderie. If you have not signed up, please go to the link below as soon as possible. We have to receive payment no later than the 18th of August so we can finalize our counts with the caterer for Dinner Saturday as well as gather ingredients for our BBQ reception at the Laguna Vista on Friday.
Reunion: Friday, September 1st to Sunday, September 3rd with DINNER on Saturday, September 2nd, 2023
Dinner Address: 74 N Tomboy Dr, Eagle Nest, NM
Thursday and Friday 31 August & 1 September
Preparation of grounds and Bricks. Location-Memorial
1:00 PM Thursday-Need some volunteers to shovel and rake the base layer of sand.
9:00 AM Friday- General Area Preparations and Sorting of Bricks
Friday Evening 1 September, 6 PM
Reception at Laguna Vista Saloon
Saturday 2 September
All times are approximate and subject to change.
7:00 AM Pre-Program Activity & Set Up (Breakfast Sandwiches/Coffee Provided)
8:30 AM Opening Ceremony with Mounted Honor Guard, Followed by laying of Westphal Foundation Bricks.
9:00 AM Medal of Honor Brick Laying.
2:30 PM (Approx.) End of Workday – After last brick is laid the workday will conclude.
5:45 PM Meet at outdoor Pavilion behind Senior Center for a brief Ceremony (Pledge of Allegiance, Prayer, Announcements) (50 N Tom Boy Dr, Eagle Nest, NM 87718).
6:00 PM Dinner and Rider’s Forum (Senior Center- 50 N Tom Boy Drive) (Dinner cost is $35.00 per pre-registered person-Includes Reunion Patch). Any registrations received after August 18th will be $45 per person (if the caterer can accommodate the addition).
Sunday 3 September
8:00 AM Church Services at Angel Fire Memorial Chapel (Kevin Riley)
NOTE: This is not an official Run for the Wall event. This is a gathering of individuals to support the Brick Laying and to get together. Riders and supporters from all Routes are Welcome.
OTHER NEWS
In other news, we have begun meeting with different Leadership to start planning for 2024. We have a few changes that you may have noticed on the website (Link to Central Route Hub). We have reduced the number of platoons to 6 2-wheel platoons, 1 Trailer platoon and 2 Trike platoons. This reduction is due to the lower number of riders we have experienced the last couple of years.
We will be meeting with our State Coordinators in a couple of weeks and discussing each state from border to border and identifying areas of concern from 2023 and areas to improve in 2024.
We are also making this the year to get “BACK TO THE BASICS” and refocus on our MISSION. I welcome any ideas from Riders on how we can re-focus on the Mission. One way I plan on doing this is to expand on what we started last year, which is to get out and find more Veterans Organizations to raise money for (DONATE HERE) as well as the Schools we historically contribute to. I have also asked our Ambassador and Outreach Teams to start identifying more Veterans Homes and Memorials, etc. to Visit along our Route. We plan on including more platoon riders on these Ambassador and Outreach missions. As we get closer to Kick Stands Up (KSU), we will have more information on these added visits and information on how to get involved with them.
VOLUNTEERS NEEDED
We are still in need of Volunteers for a few Positions. Currently we are looking for a Raffle Rouser, 50/50 Rouser and Sit-Rep Writer. If you are interested in any of these positions, please fill out a Volunteer form (Located in the Central Route Hub on the Website) and step up!
I Hope to see Many of you in Angel Fire in a few short weeks!
MUCH ALOHA TO MY ‘OHANA
Nick “Richboy” Hentges
RFTW Central Route Coordinator 2024
