Ride Report for Ride Captain  SR Smith

The Open House was scheduled from 1600 to 2000 on 10/21/2011 and the mission “plan” was simple, a flag line out in front of the newly opened center as guests, veterans and their families, and the newly appointed Director of the Illinois Department of Veterans Affairs arrived.  I have been a WWR for a couple of years and offered to make this my first  mission as an R.C. since I am also a consultant to this veterans and family center and thought having additional knowledge about the Vet/Family Center would be beneficial.

The mission was, to be frank, virtually non-existent.  I posted details about the Center on the thread a week out and asked for flags and participation.  There were no other posts for a few days, then Matter replied and encouraged WWRs to participate.  Only two other posts in a week and only two WWR showed up (Matter and me) for the mission.   He brought some flags and we each stood on one side of the walkway as people arrived but that was the extent of WWR involvement.

The media was there in spades, as were state and federal legislators, the afore-mentioned IDVA Director, county and township dignitaries, etc.  I”ll try to secure some photos of the two of us and submit those.