Re: State Newsletter

Fellow VFWMG Membership,

Thanks for all the cards, letters, and get well wishes from each of you. I’m finally getting back to doing some riding since the last overhaul the doctors did on the 20^th of April. They insure me that I have a lot more miles left before I need a top end again. Just need to watch the oil “cholesterol” levels and throttle back until my new rings “stints” have time to get seated properly. We have been gradually working back to doing shorter runs, less than 200 miles and look forward to doing the Run To The Wall and Angel Fire soon.

Several of us were in San Antonio last week for a funeral at FortSamHouston. The Patriot Guard Riders Group invited us to participate and it was a very moving and impressive ceremony. For those of you that have not heard of them, their web site is http://patrioticguard.org/. They have been doing the honors for fallen comrades at the request of the families. They escort the funeral precession to the gravesite on motorcycles and form a Sea of Red, White, & Blue from their displaying of American Flags to honor our fallen heroes. I strongly suggest participating with them if you can. This weekend at the HoustonNationalCemetery, they have invited us to participate in a ceremony to honor Gold Star Mothers. The date is the 14^th of May, Mother’s Day, and the Rally Point is the Exxon Station at the N.W. Corner of Beltway 8 and Veterans Memorial Drive. Staging time at the rally point is 12 Noon and roll out to the cemetery is 12:30. The services are to start at 1:00 pm, Sunday the 14^th of May. Everyone from the VFWMG is invited to attend and several of us are planning to ride there. I know it is short notice and on Mother’s Day, but I insure you it will be a moving ceremony and one you won’t forget.

There is a 2^nd run that you might want to consider making. Next weekend, May 20^th the Run For The Wall Group will be coming through Texas on their way to D.C. Our newest Unit #4 out of Midland is picking up with them in Midland, and they plan to travel with them through Texas, Louisiana, and Mississippi. I plan to meet up with the members from Unit #2 and also #3 in Weatherford on Saturday May 20^th. There are Hotels and Camping available in Weatherford and all other overnight stops. More information can be found on their website http://www.rftw.org/southern/daily2006.htm/. From Weatherford they depart to Monroe, La. Please note there is a new helmet law in effect now in Louisiana. Monroe is the next overnight stop on Sunday May 21^st. They will depart from Monroe on Monday May 22^nd morning and stay overnight in Meridian, Miss. that evening. Most of us, myself included, will return home back to Texas on Tuesday, May 23^rd, but if anyone wants to keep going to D.C. feel free to ride on.

My plans and what I would like to see happen are for us in the Houston Area to meet up in Conroe, Saturday morning, May 20^th around 10:00 am at exit #91 (Outlet Mall Exit) in the Chevron / McDonalds parking lot, on the N.E. corner of I-45 and League Line Rd. We will depart from there to Alvarado and meet up with Unit #3 around 1:00 pm. Depart Alvarado to Weatherford and meeting with Unit #2 & Unit #4 and spend the night. The next morning all of the VFWMG Units would depart with the Run For The Wall Group headed for Monroe. The route is straight out Hwy. 20 and the stops are scheduled at approximately 100 mile intervals and are on the website. Please contact me if you would like to participate in either of the events for this month.

I am working on several other events in the near future; such as the ROT Rally in Austin and of course the State Convention in Corpus Christi in June. Please contact me about any events coming up that you would like us to participate in, so I can get the word out on the Website. Thanks again for all your support and hard work each of you have done over the last few months, and let’s get together and ride more. Please keep me in the loop on all rides, events and plans your Unit may be doing so we can get the word out also.

One final thing, could the Unit President’s please send me a short report on the programs your Unit has done since Mid-Winter. I need to prepare a report for the VFW for the State Convention. I want to let them know how helpful and active our VFWMG Units have been since Mid-Winter.

Your Fellow Veteran Rider,

Norm Brawner

Unit 1 President

CNB; jmb

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