Day 9 Sit Rep - RUN FOR THE WALL – SR Day 9 (Vance’s Run), Thursday, May 26, 2011

Good morning Wytheville, VA...I saved the arrival in Wytheville at the Memorial Park because there is just too much to pass along about this wonderful stop.  Yesterday the riders arrived in the afternoon under police escort with the many citizens of Wytheville lining the street and waiting at the park.  Bike after bike after bike pull into the circular drive and by the time everyone is parked…the area is a virtual sea of motorcycles.  Mark Peterson and his gang from the Volvo Truck plant in Dublin, VA had another pair of magnificent trucks on display sporting their patriotic themes.  Mark and the United Auto Workers go all out to support the Run and they should be extremely proud of their contributions.

Well, meeting the school kids, teachers, parents and well wishers from the community is always a thrill.  Wytheville is such a patriotic town and many of us proudly call it our SECOND HOME.  Many thanks go out to Laurie “Airborne” Clay for discovering this town all those years ago.  We look forward to a long-lasting relationship with its citizens.  And now, Mayor Trent is finally home…for a short time…and I can say this:  his town did him proud once again.  A hi-light of the arrival ceremonies was to have his Father-in-Law, Fred Hendrick, come up to the podium.  Fred is a WW II Veteran and landed on Normandy (Omaha) beach during the War...Just up the road from Wytheville is the National D- Day Memorial which is a featured stop for us on the way to Washington, DC.  I had the opportunity to meet Fred for the first time several years back and he shared many stories of D-Day with Holly and me.  Fred, we are honored to have you in our presence.

After the ceremonies at the park it is time to head to the Moose Lodge for a fantastic dinner…many thanks to the members for feeding us and supporting Run For the Wall.

Morning comes early in Wytheville because the riders have to check out of their rooms and head back to the Memorial park because the kids will be heading over the hill from Spiller Elementary School.  Line after line of kids accompanied by teachers and staff converge on the riders. Now the fun begins….passing out trinkets...children being placed on bikes...photo shoots…catching up from last year….it is a frenzy of activity.  Pastries, coffee and juice are served in the open tent and now the kids are center stage as they honor Run For the Wall.  Of all the events we do crossing country…the activities with the children are the hi-light.  They will be our legacy. Long after the last WW II Vets, the Korean War Vets and yes, the Vietnam Vets are gone…these children will still carry forth our message.  Many thanks to the teachers and staff of Spiller...You have once again gone above and beyond the call of duty…yeah...teaching reading, writing and ‘rithmatic are important but you also instill patriotic values in each of your students and we truly appreciate that.

As a side note…I would strongly encourage anyone who has time after the Run or any other time during the year to come back to Wytheville for a second (or third, or fourth…) visit.  Holly and I have come back on several occasions and I can say this; the hospitality is always there…many thanks to Mayor Trent and the town of Wytheville for entertaining us outside of the Run.

You know it is a sad time when we have to hop on the bikes and say our final “See ya later’s” to the town…Goodbye is too permanent and we all want to ensure Wytheville it is not a good bye but a See ya later.

Morning came too soon for us all….not because of lacking rest but knowing our brief time in Wytheville is going to end for another year.  The kids are here honoring the riders and the air is full of emotions….

Later on as I conclude the SitReps for 2011, I am going to share a story of the power of ONE person talking with ANOTHER person about Run For the Wall and how important it is to not only participate for the 10 day event but to stay connected throughout the year because you just never know what a single encounter can do.

Darn…the time has come and we now must reluctantly board the bikes and depart Wytheville.  Where does the time go?  The riders are now headed for another school to have lunch…Gosh, didn’t we just had breakfast?  The ride is up the Interstate a ways, then we exit and take some secondary roads through some very scenic parts of Virginia…lots of trees...gentle, rolling hills and after a quick fuel stop, we arrive at Montvale Elementary School…home of the “Little Patriots”.  I want you to picture a school sitting on top of a little rise…void of trees for several acres in all directions yet for a couple trees remaining on the school grounds.  There is a circular drive in front of the school with kids lining the sidewalk from end to end, waving flags, jumping up and down, cheering and waiting to claim “their Veteran”.

Each year the riders walk thru the cafeteria, pick up their lunch and then they are escorted to one of the many classrooms where they will sit and eat lunch with the kids.  Now comes the time for trading stuff…many of the Vets will be pulling pins off their vests and giving them to the kids…the kids giving them home-made cards.  I have a box full of cards from past years and they are among my most prized possessions.  After lunch, we are all rounded up and escorted to the gymnasium where the kids put on a patriotic program.  American Idol has nothing on the “Little Patriots” as they perform for us.  Once the program is completed and the riders dry their eyes, it is time for the children to board their buses...the riders to hop on their bikes and we part ways…as the buses are leaving the school kids are hanging out the windows...(almost) high fiving the riders that are parked along the drive.  It has been a very emotional, yet uplifting day thus far - visiting with children from 2 great schools in Virginia.

We now shift gears and head out to visit what I consider one of the most magnificent Memorials on the planet…the National D-Day Memorial in Bedford, VA.  Privately funded, this Memorial depicts the landing on the beaches of Normandy on June 6, 1944, complete with landing craft…animated explosions in the water…figures scaling a wall to a magnificent arch with the word OVERLORD on the top.  This Memorial is surrounded by flags of the many nations that participated in the D-Day invasion.

On a side note:  we are losing our WW II Veterans at an alarming rate...thousands are leaving us each and every week.  Most recently we lost our sole remaining warrior of WW I and just as the sun will rise tomorrow...we will someday say good bye to our WW II Veterans.  Take every opportunity you have to recognize them now when out and about. If you look, you can see them everywhere...in stores, at rallies, etc proudly wearing a jacket or Ball cap with WW II Veteran on it.  No one will know for sure if your encounter will be the last time they hear a “Thank You for your Service” Do not squander that opportunity.

Once our photos are taken at the Memorial, it is off to the Salem VAMC for guess what???...DINNER and visits with the Veterans who reside there.  Many will camp around the facility and the remainder of the group will head to the hotel just down the road…to rest…to socialize with other riders...or to just reflect on a magnificent day…If today did not have a profound effect on you, might I make a suggestion?…have someone check to see if you have a pulse.

Have a great evening…rest up...tomorrow is DAY 10…Our Run on Washington, D.C.

In memory of Vance “Old Fart” Scott, Run For the Wall – SR - Road Guard

Steve Hill, MSgt USMC (retired), “Hawgwash”

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RUN FOR THE WALL – Southern Route 2011 “THE POWER OF ONE”

I want to take you back 11 years…and show how powerful a single person can be.

It is not about storming a beach in a hail of gunfire; or flying a combat sortie to deliver munitions on an enemy emplacement - it is the power of talking with someone. 

The event happened when Laurie “Airborne” Clay made a phone call to Misty Pack, an employee of Holiday Inn.  Laurie simply wanted to reserve a block of rooms in hopes that there would be a sufficient amount of support to have Run For the Wall stop for the evening.  Misty did her job well and assured Laurie that Holiday Inn could provide that service.  The reservations were made and the wheels were put in motion to plan this stop.

At a later time, Misty moved away and Laurie relocated to the New York City area but because of that bond...that single encounter things still moved forward.

Fast forward to 2011 and Misty returned to the area and of course Laurie was in the area for Run For the Wall…Misty hops on a motorcycle as the passenger and most would think she would be lost somewhere in the pack among the hundreds of riders and passengers, but no, she is up front riding next to the Run Coordinator for the Southern Route.  They roll down the Interstate and eventually make the exit and the streets are lined with hundreds of people…fire trucks are displaying huge American Flags and the sight is to behold…It could have been anywhere in the country…a small town compared to many…or a huge town compared to some.  

The riders finally pull into a Memorial Park in the center of town…a huge white tent is set up…flags waving…people waving…it is a sight to see.

The lead motorcycles pull to a stop….Mayor Trent Crewe and his passenger, Misty, hop off the bike and they are home…..in WYTHEVILLE, VA.

That ONE ENCOUNTER laid the groundwork and is the reason WYTHEVILLE is a huge part of the Southern Route.

Contribution by the Honorable Trent Crewe, Mayor, Wytheville, VA

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Special thanks to Virginia State Coordinator, Bob "Zoom" Atwell.

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