Hello Sandbox Riders!

I first want to shout out to everyone that has volunteered  – I am so grateful for you.  Thank you for stepping in to serve at such a late date and pulling things together in record time!  We could not have gotten this far without the staunch support and never quit mindset of my ARC, William “COB” Brehler, and my Admin Angel, Mike “Bonehead” Kyzer, my mentor, Darin “Lurch” Koch, and the other RCs, Nick “Rich Boy” Hentges and Don “10-A-See” King, who have stood ready with wisdom, advice, and insights for every single question I had, whether panicked or frustrated or confused. I admit, my friends, it’s been a Challenge…and yes, at times I’ve lost my joy.  But…the Mission we share underlies a mountain of minutiae and it is shining through!  I am beginning to feel that familiar ache in my bones to hit the road, and make my way West to the starting point of it all.  Is it May yet?!

One thing is bedrock in my mind:  I am SO looking forward to seeing y’all in May, my RFTW Family. But we need to get through a heap of details before I can see your grinning faces.  So let’s do it! As promised in my last newsletter, we’ve made a lot of progress since then, so I am going to put out a lot of info in this newsletter. Time to take care of business:

Please Register Soon
Registration for Sandbox is now $20. Be sure to lock in your registration as soon as possible. Timely registration helps us in the planning process, as we make platoon assignments, and arrangements for fuel, food, lodging, special use permit applications, and outreaches. It also ensures that you are invited to RFTW’s Townhalls, and Sandbox Zoom meetings for platoons and our very own Townhall too! (TBA soon)

REGISTER HERE.

Pre-Paid Fuel is here!
As a Rider, I know this is an important convenience for us, and let me tell you, it sure streamlines the fueling process (which means more KSD time for YOU!).  I was so excited last year, when I learned the cross-country Routes had adopted the prepaid fuel option that I was like “TAKE MY MONEY!” during check-in! The knowledge that I wouldn’t have to fumble for dollars with one hand while managing my bike with the other, all while sweating it out in a crush of shifting, moving bikes gave me such sweet relief.  I remember the palpitation of my heart during my FNG year while trying to pay for my fuel in cash and NOT drop the money or kill my bike from inattention – every fuel stop was truly an anxious moment for me! Fast forward to today, and Prepaid Fuel is here to save the day!

There are two fast and easy ways to prepay for fuel ($60):

The fastest:  Open your Zelle app, and send $60 to Sandbox.Route@rftw.us.  Please be sure to annotate what the payment is for in the memo line such as Prepaid Fuel.  (I’ve included more details about Zelle* in the footnotes at the end of the newsletter.)

The easiest:  pay online with a card through the Sandbox dedicated payment channel.  Go to the Run For The Wall website’s Sandbox Hub and select Sandbox Route Donations from the menu. Easy peasy!

The cut-off date for Prepaid Fuel is May 10! This is to ensure that the pre-payment is properly credited to your registration. Please note that personal checks are not accepted by Sandbox Route at any time, to include check-in. So get it done via card and early to take advantage of this convenience.   You will get a window sticker at your check-in and you’ll never have to think about it again!  Just rolllllll on into your fuel stop care-free – and our hard-working Fuel Crew will thank you for one less thing to juggle!

And if you needed any more convincing…as a direct result of the prepaid fuel option, the cross-country Routes saw a significant decrease in the amount of time it took to fuel their entire Packs last year. Less time waiting in the fuel line equaled more down time off the bikes for hydration, snacks, and bathroom breaks!

Please keep in mind that the prepaid fuel option applies to the six planned and coordinated fuel stops we will be making during the day while on our Mission. ALL Riders are still required to fuel on their own filling their tanks prior to staging each morning. Whether you decide to top-off at night on the way to your hotel, or on your way to staging in the morning, you must still fill up your tank!

Luggage Carry Fundraiser!
With many thanks to my mentor, Lurch, and my Admin Support, Bonehead, for the opportunity, Sandbox Route is offering Luggage Carry Service for $15!  The funds raised from this service stay in the Sandbox Route to pay for things we never had a chance to fundraise for.

The Sandbox Route will have a dedicated enclosed trailer to transport luggage.  This will allow riders to remove bags normally strapped onto their bikes and have them securely transported for them from our morning starting location to our nightly dinner stop. This adds to the safety of all riders by removing bags that could obstruct other riders’ view of bikes in front of them; preventing a rider from focusing on a loose item on another bike around them; and removes the added weight allowing for better control of your bike while riding in formation. Riders will be required to drop off their bag(s) at the morning staging/breakfast location. Bags will not be available until our final night/dinner stop. Riders will be restricted to 2 bags per bike. A check-in/check-out procedure will be followed ensuring no-one absconds with a bag that is not their own. The cost will be $15 for the duration of our Mission.  If you wish to take advantage of this new fundraiser, you can prepay by using the payment methods outlined above:  use the Sandbox online payment channel or the Zelle app at Sandbox.Route@rftw.us.  (Please add “Luggage Carry Fundraiser” to the memo section when submitting your payment via Zelle.)

Speaking Of…Donations
Hey, I won’t get mad if y’all want to donate a little extra to Sandbox Route. You don’t even have to be riding with us this year.  Perhaps you just want to support the Mission. We haven’t had a chance to fundraise, so I thought it wouldn’t hurt to just outright ASK!

You can send any amount via Zelle to Sandbox.Route@rftw.us and just annotate “Donation” in the memo. Or use our handy-dandy dedicated Sandbox Route Donation link in the Sandbox Hub!

Honor Guard Participation
Our Honor Guard Coordinator is Roger “Bullseye” Ford, and he is overseeing the escort of several American flags that have been flown over Washington D.C. in an F-35 jet.  He is inviting anyone interested in carrying a flag for a leg of the Sandbox Route or participating in the ceremonial presentation of some of these special flags at our stops to please contact him at roger.ford1234@gmail.com.  We will also have a Gold Star/Fallen Soldier tribute flag for ALL Riders to sign at Sandbox check-in in D.C. and at lunch/dinner stops.

Missing Man Formation
Riding in the Missing Man Formation is a very special and moving moment for our Riders, and you won’t want to miss the opportunity.  Our Missing Man Coordinator has multiple openings to ride in the Missing Man Formation (MMF). If you are interested, please send an email to Missing Man Coordinator Ray “Cornman” Cornmesser at cornman88@hotmail.com. Ray will explain the process, requirements, and expectations of riding in the MMF during the Run.

Volunteers Needed!
I am still looking to fill vacant volunteer spots in Leadership Support. Please send through a Volunteer Form if any of these positions interest you, and I will reach out to you:

50/50 Rouser
Asst 50/50 Rouser
Friends of Bill Coordinator

And we need a few more Ambassadors too! Please reach out to our Ambassador Team Lead Jed “SquirtGun” Gilman at jed.gilman@rftw.us.

Route Lodging Update: Ottawa
I want you to know about some special accommodations that have been made for ALL RFTW Riders in Ottawa, IL.  The link for the Holiday Inn Express in Ottawa was added to our Sandbox Hub in February, long after the publication of the Hotels List on January 1st.  However, what’s unusual about this listing is that you can take advantage of these special rates and local discounts after our End of Mission, or anytime YEAR-ROUND that you may visit the MECMW! This is due to the passionate support of our Mission by Justine Larabee, Director of Sales:

Greetings Heidi (and all RFTW  Riders),

I am so excited to announce to you that my team and I have been working on getting a booking link set up for your future stays at our hotel and for any travel that comes through our area for the Middle East Conflicts Memorial Wall. Your message and mission mean the world to me and our team at the hotel looks forward to your arrival every year.

The link below will lead to a discounted rate of 15% off of stays at our hotel. Talking with you was truly so special. I have no way to express how much what you do for our veterans truly means to me. I am so thankful for your organization and the healing that you bring to our veterans and their families. Thank you for everything that you do to better the tomorrows of so many lives.

Here is the link to our hotel for 15% off your stay, no matter what time of year you visit the MECMW.

Here are the details about our restaurant discounts that are available to our guests;

–Lone Buffalo – 20% OFF bill – 1.9 miles from the hotel – 808 LaSalle St. Ottawa, IL

–Rosati’s Pizza & Sports Pub – $5 OFF bill – 1 mile from the hotel – 375 W. Stevenson Rd., Ottawa, IL

–Tapatio’s Mexican Restaurant – 15% OFF bill -.4 mile from the hotel – 3005 Columbus St., Ottawa, IL

Our team is so excited to see this come to life and we can’t wait to see you. Thank you, so very much, for everything Heidi. I hope that you have a wonderful evening.

That may be just enough to slow your roll out of Marseilles and enjoy a mellow evening in Ottawa after our End of Mission.

Oh Wait! There’s More…

If you’ve read this far, well done!  Just a few more things to let percolate:  I have scheduled a Platoon Leadership Zoom Meeting for next Monday, March 11th. I will disseminate a lot of info in that meeting that your PL’s will likely pass on to you in Platoon meetings that will be scheduled during the week of March 25-29. You will get an invitation link to that meeting ONLY IF you are already registered. SO GIT-R-DONE! I know that was a lot of info to throw at you in one long newsletter, so I will sign off for now.

I am looking forward to May, and riding together for those who can’t.  Let’s ride with gratitude, unity, and a shared commitment to our Mission. See you down the road, Family!

WE RIDE FOR THOSE WHO CAN’T
WALL 2 WALL
54

In gratitude and joy,

Heidi BLUE Hansing

 

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* About Zelle: Nearly all major US banks provide Zelle to their customers. Zelle is primarily designed to work with traditional bank accounts, but there are some workarounds and alternative options available for those who do not have a bank account.  One workaround is to use a prepaid debit card. While not all prepaid cards are compatible with Zelle, some do work with this service*.  Another option is to utilize a friend or family member’s bank account. Using a prepaid debit card or relying on a friend or family member’s account can provide a way to utilize Zelle’s services.

*Prepaid Cards Supported by Zelle

• American Express Serve: American Express Serve® Card is an all-in-one prepaid debit account that comes with a virtual card and physical card.
• Green Dot Prepaid Visa: Green Dot Prepaid Visa® is a prepaid debit card that can be used anywhere Visa is accepted.
• Netspend Prepaid Visa: A prepaid card with a Visa® logo and chip that can be used anywhere Visa debit cards are accepted.
• Vanilla Gift Cards: The Vanilla® Gift Card is a prepaid card with a Visa, Mastercard or American Express logo that can be used anywhere cards are accepted.