RIDE REPORT POSTED FOR BLUESMAN

“Teach the Children” November 7, 2008, Northeast PA Region

Forty-five motorcycles, an Army Humvee, two military-replica Jeeps, soldiers in uniform, several other vehicles, and 856 elementary school students can make for a very exciting afternoon!
Today, at 1:30 PM, we arrived at Mid-Valley Elementary School near Scranton, PA, to be greeted by 856 students, lining both sides of the school entrance road, with flags, signs, and cheers! We were asked to make a lot of noise with the 45 bikes as we made our entrance, but I will guarantee that the cheers of the students were louder!

After parking the bikes, and taking some pictures outside, the students filed into the school gymnasium. After they were seated on the floor, we proceeded, with flags, through the gym to the stage, again to a lot of cheering, applause, and high-fives from the students. As we formed onstage, on the risers, the Pledge of Allegiance was recited by the students, a teacher performed the National Anthem, and the School Choir sang God Bless America. Opening remarks by Principal Mazur were followed by a speech by Friends of the Forgotten Northeast Wing and Warriors’ Watch Riders member Kim Atkinson. Kim described to the students who we are, what our mission is, and what our patches mean. Kim then introduced several of our junior members, who attend this school, introduced the family of Sgt. Jan Argonish, a local hero KIA in Iraq, and presented a commemorative plaque to the grandchild of a local Marine, wounded in Vietnam, and now suffering the results of his sacrifice.

FotF/ WWR member Al Philo (myself) gave a brief lesson…I introduced myself as “Bluesman”, and the students laughed. I then told them that if the think my name is funny, we also had “Blinkie” and “Bad George” on stage, too! The students were very attentive and receptive to a brief talk describing the meaning of the American Flag, the freedom and right to attend the school they love, and the service and sacrifice of the Veterans who gave them that freedom. The POW-MIA flag was introduced. The meanings of the letters POW-MIA, the silhouette, the guard tower, and the words “You Are Not Forgotten” were discussed.

Kim then presented a POW-MIA flag to the school, to be flown daily, and commemorative plaques. The students each received a “Yellow Ribbon” bookmarker, and chocolates donated by the Gertrude Hawks Chocolate Company.

The day could not have been better! The enthusiasm of the students, the principal, teachers, and parents, and most of all the Northeastern PA patriots who performed this mission was in a word, astounding.

Thank you to Kim Atkinson for arranging this mission; George Atkinson for acting as Road Captain, Dunmore and Throop Police for their escorts.
Thank you to Friends of the Forgotten Northeast Wing and Warriors’ Watch Riders for the opportunity to serve this community in this way!

My pictures will be sent seperately to Lutz and Shooter, and as sonn as possible, a video of this mission by FotF “Big Unit” will be passed along.

submitted 4:01 PM, 11/07/04, Al “Bluesman” Philo, WWR PA State Coordinator, Northeast Region