Greetings from the frozen tundra of Northern Nevada. I hope that everyone had a Great Thanksgiving. Well we are a little over 160 days from kickstands up and just over 250 Southern Route registrants. Plans are moving right along. The Welcome Video has just been released. I hope you all have had a chance to see it and shared it with your friends. This is one way others can learn more about Run For The Wall and maybe peak their interest.
A few Missions ago while on an outreach I had a chance to talk with Karoni Forrester an MIA daughter and our Outreach Coordinator. One thing I was curious about was, why their hats and brassards were green. She told me “Green is the color of HOPE”. I knew that the Love in their hearts kept the home fires burning while they waited for their loved ones to return. But, what fuels those fires is the HOPE that someday they will know the fate those whom they long to see home again. We have several MIA Family members with us every Mission, we Love and Support them, and maybe for a time, ease their pain.
The color Green has a whole new significance to me. When I see green now, I think of the HOPE that Fuels, the Families, The Mission & US. When I stop at a traffic signal, as the light turns Green I say a little prayer of HOPE for those who have not yet returned. If we all did that, we can make a difference.
The dedicated folks at the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency use all of their resources to find the answers we all want to know. Sometimes miracles do happen. To borrow a phrase from the President of our Board of Directors Les Williams, “Ladies and gentlemen, this is why we ride”.
For the last several Missions the Route Coordinators have chosen a mantra to be a part of their Mission. Recently: for Stoney it was “Charlie Mike – Continue The Mission; for Chicken Joe “Keep The Faith”; for Ghost Rider “Mission>Self”; for Slacker “Ride With Heart” and for Bugs it was “Together We Ride – Every Mile Counts”. For 2020 on the Southern Route it will be HOPE FUELS – The Families-The Mission-US
You may have noticed the Green Ribbon of HOPE on our Southern Route logo and 20th Anniversary commemorative patch. It is there as a reminder that HOPE FUELS
Our State Coordinators have been working hard to get secure lodging commitments so the Southern Route Hotel List can be posted on January 1, 2020.
There are still some 20th Anniversary Patches left, they make great gifts
As 2019 winds down and we look forward to 2020, Diane and I wish everyone a Very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.
