Greetings RFTW family!
I would like to wish you all a very Happy Thanksgiving. I know 2020 has been a year filled with problems, challenges and difficulties. However, I still have so much to be thankful for and my Run for the Wall family is one of those things. I miss seeing you all and am looking forward to getting back together with everyone again in May. It has been way too long! Our Midway team members are working hard on our 2021 route plans. I thank all of them for their hard work and dedication to our RFTW Midway route.
I apologize for being late getting this newsletter out. I was waiting on some information to share. Unfortunately, I still have not been able to confirm everything. It is concerning a fundraiser sponsored by Hawgwash. We will move forward with this, but all the details are not confirmed as of this time. The Covid shutdowns are really hurting a lot of people. I was just notified that we have lost more financial support. This time from a VFW post. They support our mission but just do not have the extra funds to provide for us for 2021. I also know that a few of our long-time riders may not have the financial resources to make the Run. This fundraiser will allow people from all over the country to support our route by pledging as little as ten cents ($0.10) per bike (Max 100 bikes) treated by Hawgwash’s acrylic coating. I am trying to get a list of people who would be willing to get pledges for us. If you are interested in helping with this, please let me know. Hawgwash will supply the materials and treat the bikes for free! This “pledging” fundraiser would only ask people to donate as little as $10.00 but the number of pledges could raise significant money for our route. This fundraiser would allow more people to donate a little, rather than a few having to donate larger amounts. I am focusing on this fundraiser to allow us to put our route in a position to help our supports who want to host us but do not have the funds. We may be able to help them help us by contributing to the cost of hosting us. The more we can raise, the more people we can help. I also want to be able to have the route pay as many fuel stops as possible to help the riders who are on tight budgets. More details on this fundraiser will be coming soon. I would appreciate any support we can get for this.
I am also focusing on bringing more attention and something new to our missing man formation. I am excited to share more information about this in my next month’s newsletter. We will never forget what this mission is about! This addition to our missing man formation will make sure of that.
Remember, it is never too early to start preparing for your Run across our great country. Throttle control is key to riding in a pack of 100s of bikes. Steady speed with slow, smooth adjustments is an essential skill for this route. Also, do not forget to practice using your gears to slow your bike down instead of your brakes! Maintaining consistent distances in the pack and avoiding the “yo-yo” nightmares are key to the safety of our route. Our goal is to always complete our mission with zero incidents. Everyone needs to do their part to make this happen. Practice, practice, practice! The better your skills, the safer our route can be. I am very proud of our safety record on Midway. Let’s make sure we keep it that way.
Another thing that I am Thankful for: Thank you to all our men and women who are serving or have served, and to their families for their support and sacrifices. Also…… we will never forget those who have paid the ultimate price for our country. THANK YOU!
Have I told you all lately?…………… I love my RFTW family!
Honor, Hope & Healing
Sincerely,
Ken “Six String” Dugas
Midway Route Coordinator, 2020-2021
