09/24/08A group of 25 riders with the Wounded Warrior Project’s Soldier Ride were in Lake Havasu City Wednesday, and they were welcomed with open arms.
The riders were on the second of three legs that are part of the High Desert Challenge, one of several rides the Wounded Warrior Project organizes. The first leg was in Phoenix on Tuesday, with the final being in Las Vegas Thursday. “Many of these men and women have been physically active throughout their lives. Soldier Ride offers these brave individuals the chance to get on a bike and prove to themselves, ‘I ca
n still do this.’ Soldier Ride is not about politics; it's not about the war. It's simply about the soldiers,” said Woody Groton Soldier Ride National Tour Director.The Wounded Warrior Project itself is a national organization aimed at getting the men and women returning from Iraq and Afghanistan the support they need. According to the group’s website, the organization was founded after members saw the needs of soldiers who were wounded while fighting in Iraq and Afghanistan. “They realized that something needed to be done for these brave individuals beyond the brass bands and ticker tape parades. They wanted to provide tangible support for the severely wounded to help them on the road to heal both physically and mentally,” said Groton.
The soldiers were welcomed in to town Tuesday evening escorted by members of the Arizona Patriot Guard, as well as the Havasu Patriots, composed of the American Legion Riders, Patriot Guard Riders, and Blue Star Mothers. Dozens more welcomed them, flags waving as they got off the bus at the Hampton Inn where they stayed. A hot dinner awaited them, provided by the Havasu Fraternal Order of Police, radio stations KJJJ/KNTR, Lakeview Family Dental and Mohave Wireless.
The evening’s reception was just a low key event, as organizers were unsure when the riders would be able to come into town, due to traffic and other variables. The main event came Wednesday morning, as hundreds of people showed up in the English Village beneath the London Bridge for a celebration.
“It was such an amazing turnout, so many people wanted to come and show their support to these heroes,” said Jarrod Lyman, vice president of the Lake Havasu City Convention and Visitors Bureau, and one of the event organizers. “We all talk about supporting the troops, we see bumper stickers and what not, but this was something tangible, a true way of showing these men and women that their sacrifices aren’t taken for granted. They are appreciated.”
Gary Meyers, Freedom Bridge Committee chairman and another event organizer, agreed. “I’ve been in Lake Havasu City for eight years, and this is one of the biggest, and certainly the most important event I’ve ever seen here. You could tell, this meant a lot to the soldiers.”
“One rider told me that he’s been doing this since 2004, and has never seen such a reception. What really got me is when he said seeing this kind of turn out made everything he went through over there worthwhile, knowing that back home he was a hero,” Lyman said. It was a story echoed by other event volunteers, who said their conversations with the soldiers were similar.
Brian Wedemeyer, a Lake Havasu City Councilman and President of the Freedom Bridge Foundation, spoke to the crowd and soldiers. “Lake Havasu City has played host to a lot of famous people. Rappers, rockers, professional athletes, award winning authors and even a hall of fame golfer. You are the most important people to ever visit Lake Havasu City. You are the true heroes,” he said.
Lake Havasu City Mayor Mark Nexsen spoke about the support of the city for the men and women who serve, and presented Groton with a mayoral proclamation: “Whereas, the Wounded Warrior Project Soldier Ride has honored Lake Havasu City by making us a stop on their tour, whereas Lake Havasu City and its residents support the men and women who sacrifice so much in the name of freedom and for our country, whereas, this city and the quality of life we enjoy is a testament to the American spirit, embodied by the very heroes we have here today, whereas we now stand at the base of this city’s memorial to those who served our great nation and begin the Freedom Bridge project, now therefore, I, Mark Nexsen, Mayor of Lake Havasu City, Arizona, do hereby proclaim September 24, 2008 as Soldier Ride Day.
Serving as keynote speaker was Jim Weiers, Arizona Speaker of the House of Representatives. He too thanked the riders, illustrating how important it is to acknowledge the sacrifices made by our soldiers. His statements hit home as members of the audience and the riders themselves could be seen nodding in agreement.
The final element of the ceremony was the presentation of memorial bricks, engraved with the names of the soldiers, to be the first laid in the new Memorial Walkway. The walkway is part of the Freedom Bridge efforts, aimed at constructing a second bridge that will not only serve as a companion to the world famous London Bridge, but also compliment it as well. The entire project, from the bridge, to the walkway, and other elements planned for this massive undertaking, will serve as a tremendous memorial to the men and women of the armed forces.
“What more of a lasting impression can we make on these men and women who gave so much of themselves for our country, than by immortalizing them in this memorial to those who serve in our armed forces,” said Meyers, “These are the very people this project is dedicated to,” he said.
The walkway will run from the base of the London Bridge, to the base of the Freedom Bridge. The walkway construction has already begun, but the Freedom Bridge construction is still in planning stages.
The riders left Lake Havasu City knowing that the residents of this desert city along the Colorado River appreciate them. As they moved on to Las Vegas, gearing up for more events, perhaps the wounds that cannot be seen were a little closer to being healed.
-END-
More info:
www.woundedwarriorpoject.org
www.havasufreedombridge.com
Photo cutlines:
Bricks: Soldier Riders pose at the start of the Memorial Walkway with the bricks purchased in their names. The bricks were the first laid in the Memorial Walkway, which starts beneath the world famous London Bridge, and leads to the planned site of the Freedom Bridge.
Anthem Salute2: Soldiers salute during a playing of the National Anthem by the Lake Havasu High School Band of Knights during a dedication ceremony Wednesday.
Crowd and Riders: Hundreds showed up to show support for the Wounded Warrior Project Soldier Ride Wednesday in Lake Havasu City.
Brian Speaks: Lake Havasu City Councilman Brian Wedemeyer, who also serves as the President of the Freedom Bridge Foundation, speaks at a dedication ceremony for the Wounded Warrior Projects Soldier Ride Wednesday morning. He said while Lake Havasu City has played host to countless celebrities, the soldiers were the most important guests, and the truest heroes, the city has ever hosted.
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