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News

American Iron: Moab Greets Veterans Charity Ride to Sturgis with Hero’s Welcome

8/1/2017

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Picture
​by Bryan Harley

It started 10 miles out of town. Tired from a hard days ride through some of the most majestic countryside you’ll find anywhere in the world, weary riders on the Veterans Charity Ride to Sturgis got a second wind from the stirring sight of American flags on motorcycles blowing in the wind and a welcoming committee standing roadside in full salute. Members of the Patriot Guard Riders and other local veterans had ridden outside of Moab, Utah, to honor the group as they rolled in and to escort them to the celebration waiting for the veterans at Swanny City Park.
​The procession pulled into the park to a hero’s welcome, the city of Moab showing up in force to greet them with open arms, flags waving, hands clapping, and the hum of bag pipes lilting in the air. A row of flags had been set up in the grass and one by one the veterans proudly rode through an avenue of Stars and Stripes, members of Utah VFW 10900 saluting them as they passed by. It was patriotism at its finest, from a rousing rendition of the National Anthem to a crowd-wide, hands-over-the-heart Pledge of Allegiance.

The veterans were seated center stage as one by one Moab’s community leaders took turns paying tribute to their arrival.
Picture
Members of VFW 10900 salute the Veterans Charity Ride to Sturgis as they rolled through the avenue of Stars & Stripes.
“Thank you for your service to our country, thank you for being with us here today,” said Moab Mayor David Sakrison.

“Ladies and gentlemen, it’s a little humbling standing up here before you. Watching you come in was an emotional experience,” added Moab Police Chief Jim Winder.

“So somebody walked up to me just a few minutes ago and said, “We honor your service in blue.” It made me really think of the term service. Yes, in law enforcement we provide a service to this community and to this nation but I kind of consider law enforcement the little brother of the big brother. The big brother is those that have protected this nation and provided such service and dedication and placed themselves at such great risk. It’s an honor for people to come up and thank us but I tell you no amount of thanks is enough for what you all have done,” said Winder.

When it was time for Veterans Charity Ride founder Dave Frey to speak he said “I cannot tell you with words how excited we are to be here. Moab has been a very special place for us from the very beginning that we came up with the ride and the program.”
Picture
Star Spangled Salute!
​While there were many poignant moments during the celebration, none was more touching than when two young sisters walked up on stage and handed the veterans letters they had written thanking them for their service. When the girls heard the veterans were coming to town they wanted to do something to show them they cared. There were few dry eyes in the crowd after that.

The spirit of the Moab community was also well-represented by an eighth grade girl named Lidia and her friend Jocelyn. Wanting to help out the welcoming effort, the two walked around town passing out fliers. Not only did they pass out all the fliers they had, once they were done the girls reached out to organizers and said “We ran out, can we get more?”

Retired Navy man Art “Groady” Edwards, the Western Slope Assistance Captain of the Colorado Patriot Guard Riders, then handed each veteran a Colorado pin inscribed with the words “Your Service, Our Freedom.”
Picture
Wearing allegiance openly!
​As the ceremony wound down, the mountainesque man on bag pipes played the theme song of every branch of service, from “The Army Goes Rolling Along” to “Wild Blue Yonder” and veterans proudly raised their hands as their theme played. The crowd was then invited to meet the veterans as countless hugs and handshakes ensued.

As the heartwarming celebration drew to a close, Dick Pacheco, Director of Hands of Hope New Life Center, extended an invitation to all of the veterans to call Moab their permanent home, an enticing invitation from a community that received them with a hero’s welcome.
This Vietnam Vet flies the Stars & Stripes proudly to show his support for the Veterans Charity Ride to Sturgis.
Patriot Guard Riders and other veterans flew the Stars & Stripes proudly on the motorcycles in honor of the Veterans Charity Ride to Sturgis.
This is how Moab escorts heroes into town.
Wardog rolls into Moab to a warm, flag-waving welcome.
Local veterans came out to show their support for the brave men and women on the Veterans Charity Ride to Sturgis.
Big James Felix wears his pride openly as he rolls down the avenue of Stars & Stripes.
Vets came from near and far to show their support during the Moab celebration for the Veterans Charity Ride to Sturgis.
This “Thank You” note was written by an adorable Moab school girl who wanted to do something for the veterans rolling into town with the Veterans Charity Ride to Sturgis.
Niner and Krispey share smiles!
The stoic face of an American veteran.
Salute! Veterans Charity Ride to Sturgis 2017
Moab created an avenue of Stars & Stripes to welcome the Veterans Charity Ride to Sturgis to its community.
This proud Patriot Guard Rider rode out to escort the Veterans Charity Ride to Sturgis into Moab.
This young patriot was having a fun time at the Moab reception for the 2017 Veterans Charity Ride to Sturgis.
Josh Stein has been enjoying the VCR experience to the fullest.
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          • JAN GOKLISH-STEVENS
          • DAVID GREEN
          • BRANDON LANGSTON
          • MATT MARTIN
          • ZACHARY PEDERSEN
          • JARED POSEY
      • 2021 Veterans >
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          • Denver Braa 2021
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          • Kaylan Harrington 2021
          • Keith Helfrich 2021
          • Marylyn Sabol 2021
          • Jared Thomas 2021
          • Darius Wallace 2021
          • John Wood AKA Johnny Killmore 2021
        • 2021 Veteran Riders & Sidecar Passengers >
          • Khara Ann Adams
          • Patrick Amie
          • Cameron High
          • Justin Hopkinson
          • RJ Lugo
          • Joe Martinez
          • Christopher Wolff
          • Milt Yagel
      • 2020 Veterans >
        • Veteran Riders & Sidecar Passengers >
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          • Carlos Da Silva
          • Dakoda Antelope
          • Darius Wallace
          • Denver Braa
          • Lonnie Sutterfield
        • Veteran Mentors >
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          • Dave Frey
          • Jared Thomas
          • John Wood AKA Johnny Killmore
          • Josh Stein
          • Keith Helfrich
          • Marylyn Sabol
          • Paul Kilgore
      • 2019 Veterans >
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          • Chad Morris
          • Eric Dober
          • Fouad Mohaideen
          • Jana Rodriguez
          • Kenneth Toone
          • Loyce Siegel
          • Matthew Zajac
          • Paul Kilgore
        • Veteran Mentors >
          • Keith Helfrich
          • Kaylan Harrington
          • John Wood AKA Johnny Killmore
          • Jared Thomas
          • Eric Morante
        • Veteran Support Staff & Crew >
          • Dave Frey
          • Anthony Indrieri
          • John Austin
      • 2018 Veterans >
        • Veteran Riders & Sidecar Passengers >
          • David Camargo
          • Eric Morante
          • Fred Ruiz
          • Kaylan Harrington
          • Keith Shoulders
          • Matthew White
          • Samuel Rosales
          • Ermin Husidic
          • Jared Thomas
        • Veteran Mentors >
          • Keith Helfrich
          • Moses Sonera
          • Ian Freeman
          • Rich Neider
          • Robert Pinkham
          • John Wood AKA Johnny Killmore
        • Veteran Support Staff & Crew >
          • Dave Frey
          • Anthony Indrieri
          • John Austin
      • 2017 Veterans >
        • 2017 “Hero’s Ride of a Lifetime” Selections >
          • Neil Frustaglio
          • Josh Stein
        • Veteran Riders & Sidecar Passengers >
          • Shane Dorwin
          • James Felix
          • Richard Neider
          • Lisa Niner
          • Robert Pinkham
          • Richard Silva
          • Moses Sonera
          • John Wood
        • Veteran Mentors >
          • Keith Helfrich
          • Dave "Max" Maxwell
          • Justin "Wardog" McCarty
        • Veteran Support Staff & Crew >
          • Dave Frey
          • Ian Freeman
          • Bob Hudson
          • Cat Macleod
          • Jonathan Shelgosh
          • Damon Suiter
          • Jim Whittum
      • 2016 Veterans >
        • Mentors >
          • Dave "Max" Maxwell
          • Sean Carroll
          • Virgi Bondi
          • George Nickel
          • Tommy Montgomery
          • Glen Silva
          • Jorge Hernandez
        • “Hero’s Ride of a Lifetime” Selections >
          • Keith Helfrich
          • Jedidiah (Jed) Morgan
        • Veterans Riders >
          • Ian Freeman
          • Justin McCarty
          • Constance Heinz
          • Evan Marcy
          • Marylyn Sabol
          • Steve Wichers
          • Dom Figiel
          • Nick "Razor" Razzano
          • Mike Brown
          • Damon Suiter
          • Tom Junier
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