A Most Rewarding Trip...

Well, I am just about finished with the close-out details of our most recent "World War II Veterans to Washington DC" which took place Sept. 25-27. I must say, this was one of the most rewarding non-family things I have been involved with in a while.

I know, if you've been reading this blog, you're probably wondering if I got the dates mixed up. No, I didn't. I did not actually go on the "trip." With the death of Wink's son, the viewing and the funeral all happening then, I did not go. But, I suppose if you do a good job with all your tasks, the trip will go on without you. Guess what -- it did.

I became involved with this group in early August and hit the ground running. There really is a lot of work in getting twenty-six 80+ year-old WWII Vets to DC and back over a 3-day weekend so they can see their memorial. Kinda reminds me of moving troops to some distant post. There is still a lot of interaction with people: raising funds, securing meals/transportation/medical assistance, taking care of personnel matters, and so forth. Everyone involved is a volunteer but they really function like staff officers, you know S-1, S-2, S-3, S-4, etc.

Let me tell you some of the highlights. We spent lots of time raising funds and passing out literature at Wal-Mart, Krogers, the Farmer's Market, and the Applefest. I have a whole new respect for Salvation Army bell ringers. I also introduced a sponsorship program that ended up getting 14 of the Vets sponsored thru a Memorial Donor. We also coordinated with the local schools to get students to write letters to the Vets for "Mail Call." Part of this also included having letters from relatives, the people on the committee, and friends. These letters were packaged up and given to the Vets on the bus.

Oh, yeah, we took a bus. There are other groups that do this and they fly, but they do it in one long, long, long day which is pretty hard on these old folks. Our bus trip over three days is quite a bit easier on them. It does add to our logistic issues, however. We take a wheel chair for each Vet and most of their travel companions. Some of them think they can walk everywhere, and then after about 10 minutes at the monuments in DC, they are pretty happy to have a ride.

We have several dinners for them. One is the pre-departure meal where they get their "mobilization orders." We also have two dinners for them in the DC area, after which they get to sit around and talk about the day, and their experiences (if they want to -- which most do).

We have a committee that organizes a special send-off and one that receives them when they get back. When they leave, school kids from the Sidney Middle School come out and line the road (which is also lined to the interstate with US flags) to waive good-bye to the group. The buses are escorted by a motorcycle group from Sidney to Troy.

So, this trip is now over, and guess what -- it's time to start planning for the next one. The first piece of action the group took was to appoint me their chairman, so now, I'm spending a lot of my retirement time working on this. And you know what --this is cutting in to my golfing time!! Sheesh!! Ah, what the heck, I like this kind of stuff, and the old Vets really do deserve it. Never lose sight of the fact that old age needs so little but needs that little so much (Margaret Willour).

"I do not love the bright sword for it's sharpness, nor the arrow for it's swiftness, but rather the warrior for his glory and that which they defend."

Hooah