I FINISHED MY MILES...NOW WHAT?

First of all, If you've been a road warrior all summer...THANK YOU! You're incredible!    I have gotten several calls and emails from wonderful road warriors who have finished logging their miles and want to mail in their donations. Here's how to make that happen:

To Donate by Check

You may make checks payable to Wounded Warrior Project with a notation of "Road Warriors 2010" on the check and/or enclose your sponsorship form to:

Wounded Warrior Project
Attn: Julianna Bansley

7020 A.C. Skinner Pkwy, Suite 100
Jacksonville, FL 32256

You may make checks payable to Freedom Alliance Scholarship Fund with a notation of "Road Warriors 2010" on the check and/or enclose your sponsorship form and mail to:

Freedom Alliance Foundation
Attn: Amy Amundson

22570 Markey Court Suite 240

Dulles, Virginia 20166

To Donate Online

You can donate online by clicking one of the links below. The Wounded Warrior Project link takes you to my personal web page where you can donate in the name of Road Warriors 2010. The Freedom Alliance Link automatically tracks your donation to "Road Warriors 2010". Here are your donation links...

www.WoundedWarriorProject.org

www.FreedomAlliance.org

Road Warriors 2010 is YOU! You have made it all happen by deciding to put your time and your sweat equity on the line for a bigger cause. Both Wounded Warrior Project and Freedom Alliance Scholarship Fund have benefited because of YOU.

God bless you and thank you many times over for your dedication to our goal of having fun and making a difference in the lives of our injured military men, women and their children.

We Love a Parade...Even in the Rain!

WHAT RAIN? Veterans Day Parade marchers and onlookers weren't the least bit discouraged by the never ending rain yesterday...they were there to honor our vets no matter what. I've never been to a Veterans Day Parade or Ceremony before but I doubt I will ever miss it again. I cried a lot. So did everyone else. I welled up with pride at the men in uniform, the fly over, singing the Caisson song and seeing the faces of our very own vets being recognized for their service all the way from WWII, through the Cuban Missile Crisis, Grenada and the Gulf War. It was just an incredible day. Because pictures speak a thousand words...here goes...

Foothill High School Marching Band

After the parade, people filed into the Memorial Building to sign cards to accompany our Quilt of Valor for wounded warrior Cpl. Elizabeth Bailey Wafflard. I was touched by how seriously and thoughtfully each person wrote their message. 

About half way through the program, Doug Miller Commander of VFW Post 6298 asked me to come up and present the quilt to Elizabeth. It was a very emotional time for all of us. Elizabeth has suffered brain injuries from her combat time in Iraq and is working very hard to get her health and life back to normal.

After the presentation, Elizabeth asked me to sit next to her and her roommate. She never let go of her new quilt, held my hand and told me, "I love my quilt. You'll never know how much this means to me." Well, we cried a lot. What a credit Elizabeth is to our nation. While he was giving his address Rear Admiral Jud Scott, US Navy (retired) looked right at Liz when he said, "We are all so proud of you." Here are the words I wrote for Liz:

Dear Elizabeth,

I can never, America can never fully repay you or thank you adequately for your service and sacrifice in the line of duty. You have stepped up to accept a challenge that few of us will ever face. We are so proud of you. On behalf of Road Warriors 2010 and a grateful nation, I am giving you a Quilt of Valor as a heartfelt token of our gratitude for your willingness to defend freedom and keep us safe at home. I hope your quilt will be a comfort and constant reminder to you that we have you in our hearts and will never forget your self-sacrifice in defense of America, the land we love and hold so dear. 

Click here to watch the 2 minute 

video of the Quilt of Valor Presentation

 

I'll never forget my day with Elizabeth and our Veterans. 

It was a long time coming. Now it's my treasure and a very fitting
wrap up for Road Warriors 2010.

Woohoo! Road Warrior JC Nelson Meets 1,000 Mile Goal

At our Wrap Up today--JC Nelson, Steve Benson & Dave Roberts-- proud Road Warriors all!

Congratulations all around for JC Nelson whose 10K run today at our Sycamore Grove Park Wrap Up put him over the 1,000 mile mark. John has been putting in his miles in honor of his two nephews Jeffrey and Christopher who are serving in the Army and Marines. He's even wearing his awesome Road Warriors 2010 tee shirt!!!

Anthony started logging miles in Sept and wants to be a RW next year!

Anthony Sison signed on at the Walnut Festival 10 K race in Walnut Creek...he came in from Tracy today to put in a few mega miles on his bike to help him reach his 100 miles. Great to see you again Anthony and thanks so much for coming so far to join us. Dave Roberts and Steve Benson took off for a winding walk through the sycamore trees. And I was lucky enough to run along side JC as he put in those final miles. I have a great feeling of anticipation about tomorrow's Veterans Day Parade (1 pm) and Program (2 pm) at the Memorial Building on Main Street. Elizabeth's quilt of valor is finished and ready to present to her at the program as a small but heartfelt token of our appreciation and deep gratitude for her courage, service and sacrifice while serving in Iraq.

I'm finishing the handwork on the quilt binding...25 years after starting it!

I am so proud of and grateful for all our Road Warriors who have commited to 100 miles or more, not just for themselves, but for the sake of  the courageous men and women serving in our Armed Forces. We simply cannot ever thank them enough. See you at the Veterans Parade (1pm) and program (2pm) tomorrow in downtown Pleasanton. The program is held in our newly remodeled Veterans Memorial Building with this beautiful bronze out front.

Thank you to every veteran in America. 

Thank you for your dedication and service for this great country we call America, the land we love and hold so dear.

Living For A Greater Cause: Why Road Warriors 2010 Supports Freedom Alliance

We've been logging miles all summer to help raise awareness and funding for wounded warriors and Freedom Alliance Scholarship Fund. One of the recipients of the FA Scholarship is Henry Irizarry. I'm amazed at Henry's commitment and courage to do something great for America, just like his father did. After reading his story, you can  click here to donate to help more young men and women like Henry. Thank you! Scholarship Spotlight: Henry D. Irizarry Written by Freedom Alliance    Friday, 22 October 2010 Staff Sergeant Henry E. Irizarry gave his life on December 3, 2004 when an Iraqi insurgent detonated an explosive device near his Humvee while his unit was on patrol in Taji, Iraq, he was 38 years old. His son Henry was 15. “My father sacrificed many things for a greater commitment. A commitment to serve not only his family and friends, but citizens across the country,” Henry wrote to Freedom Alliance. Henry D. Irizarry is a Freedom Alliance scholarship recipient and a senior at the University of New Haven studying criminal justice. He made the Dean’s List for the past two years and is the president of Ambassadors for Christ and the Sergeant-at-Arms for the Latin American Students Association. Henry says that seeing his father in uniform caused a burning desire for him to be like him. “My father inspired me to pursue a career in law enforcement. He taught me that it is ok to live for a greater cause and sometimes a greater commitment is necessary,” said Henry. By providing a scholarship to his son, Freedom Alliance is pleased to honor Staff Sergeant Irizarry and all like him who have died or been injured in service to our country. Last Updated ( Monday, 25 October 2010 )

"The Road Ahead" Takes Life

Marie Pascal used Gene Freiders' photos of the road to inspire her
original watercolor for Road Warriors 2010

Two days ago I walked up to my front door and found a modest looking package resting against the door. "What could this be?" And then it hit me...It's the watercolor of "The Road Ahead" that we asked Marie Pascal to paint for us! It's here! It's finished. And it's beautiful. I'm keeping the finished work a secret for a few more days. But we are so proud to be able to give this incredible piece of original art to one of our Road Warriors.  The Natsoulas Gallery in Davis has shown Marie's art for many years and writes this about her...we couldn't agree more!

"Marie is one of the most skillful watercolor painters in the world. Her detail and control are unprecedented in the field. While her brush stroke is carefully nuanced and her colors often glowing, her subject matter is more serious upon further reflection."

Eyes on the Prize: Road Warrior Wrap Up Nov. 6th!

We've almost reached our DONE DATE! 

The first rain of the season and cooler weather are leading us closer to our Done Date--Veterans Day, our final miles and our Saturday, November 6th Wrap Up Event at Sycamore Grove Park in Livermore (click for map). 

Please come to the park (and bring your families)

to log some of your final miles in support of our military heros.

Just show up at the Wetmore End of Sycamore Grove Park anytime between 9:30 and 10:00 am and then take off to explore the park at your own pace. Sycamore Grove has 5 miles of paved, mostly flat trail and at least 20 miles of dirt paths perfect for us...you can run, mountain bike, road bike, walk with strollers and hike with a lunch on your back. You'll have a chance to see Autumn color and lots of wild life including egrets, heron, owls, coyotes, deer, quail, wood ducks, bunnies and those ubiquitous turkey vultures (who don't seem to be eating any of the wild turkeys out there!)

This is the paved bike/hike/walk/run path at Sycamore Grove

Of Note: At Sycamore Grove Park, you'll also find water, funky bathrooms and a $5.00 parking fee (or park for free at Independence Park around the corner). Daniel, JC, Pat, Alice, Bulldog, Jamaica, and Karen...hope to see you there and spread the word! Thanks so much everyone--for all your efforts, and for keeping your eyes on the prize all summer long.

Farmers' Market Donations Continue!

Mark Nelson & Chimera make a 9/11 donation

"Can we give more?"

Today we staffed the Road Warriors 2010 Booth at the Farmers' Market with a sign letting people know they could support our veterans by "Donating the Date"...that is $10.09 on 10/09. Dan waited in line to donate and then asked "Can we give more?"

We are SO grateful to the shoppers today who added to our Pacific Coast Farmers' Market 9/11 Donation to  Wounded Warrior Project and Freedom Alliance Scholarship Fund...The total now stands at $1152.00 on our way to $1500.00. Perhaps the best story of all today though is second grader Ali who wanted to become a road warrior because it would help our soldiers. She plans to ask Mom, Dad, Grandma and Grandpa to be her sponsors. I don't think she is going to have a problem reaching her goal because she says she walks and rides her bike EVERYWHERE!

What a wonderful gift to see such an eager 

and generous heart at such a young age. 

Thanks Ali and stay in touch, ok?
We're proud of you!