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Ride Report for Ride Captain Fuzzy
It was a short notice mission and I was a little worried about the turn-out. We had 2 missions planned for the same time Friday evening and I thought we might be stretched a little thin. I should have known that after reading the bio of this Hero it would be big. Because everything about LtJG Erika Barnes screams go big or go home.

Erika joined the Navy in April 2010. Both the Army and the Navy wanted her, but the Navy won out. She graduated from Drexel as a Physician’s Assistant and was subsequently deployed with the Marines to the Shock/Trauma Surgical Company at Camp Delaram. As if that wasn’t enough to keep her busy she initiated a shoe drive for the local children, providing shoes for over 50 kids. She bought toys and soccer balls for them too.

Unknown to her family, Erika snuck into the house on Monday night to surprise the family for her Mom Sharyn’s birthday. After the hugs were done and the tears were dried Erika’s sister Stacey decided a little surprise pay back was in order. And that’s where we come in. Stacey is so proud of all that her sister has accomplished she wanted to make sure the whole world knew it. Could we help her? Oh yea, we can do that!

We rallied at a local parking lot and what a rally it was! Delran F.D. had a ladder truck and support vehicle there waiting for us. Chief Martino was all in for this.
Delran P.D. had 2 patrol cars to lead us in and cover our backs. The Yellow Ribbon Club had several cages for our procession. And the bikes, the big loud beautiful bikers of A Hero’s Welcome, Burlington County Hogs and WWR! We had about 12 bikes and as many cages for our trip to Erika’s mom’s house.
( She was there because she thought she was going to a birthday party for mom!)

As we pulled into the neighborhood the fire trucks and police cars lit up the street with their lights and sirens, the bikes thundered and the cages beeped their horns. As Erika told us later, the sound was like music to her ears. We pulled up in front of the house and the whole family was outside waiting. Erika thought they were just being nosey.

Me and David Silver of the YRC  went up to the house to let Erika know we were there for her, could we introduce her to a few of our friends who wanted a chance to hug a real American Hero? Of course she obliged. With her nephew Alex resplendent in his Jr. ROTC uniform by her side she was honored by A Hero’s Welcome, the WWR coined her and the YRC  presented her with their now famous 20 lb. coin! The Delran V.F.W was there and Riverside Deputy Mayor Lorraine Hatcher who knew her father, the late Sgt. William Barnes was there to let her know how proud her Dad was of her.

To cap the night off we all sang Happy Birthday to her. She didn’t know that we knew it was her birthday on Nov. 2nd.

To all who attended, thank you.
To Stacey and Sharyn, thank you for inviting us to be part of this very special homecoming.

And Erika, Thank You for all you do for us. You are an amazing woman and we all wish the very best for you.
Oh, and Happy Birthday to YOU!!!

Ride Report submitted by Fuzzy