I had a mission this morning. I made myself crawl out of bed early on a Sunday, when I really didn't have to. But I had to. I had somewhere important I wanted to be. I dressed in layers, wearing long underwear, jeans, and a big, thick sweater with an American flag on it, and set out on a chilly May morning through the rain/snow mix. I had remembered a scarf, and I brought a huge, faux-fur-lined leather jacket, thinking I wouldn't need it. Boy, did I need it. I dragged the Mr along with me on this mission, and it was a good thing. He helped me find the place where like-minded people were lining up, out along the interstate, and he noticed the pickup truck where they were handing out big flags for people to hold all up and down the frontage road. Police and firetrucks formed the center of the line, lights flashing. We spread out, covering maybe a mile in our section (there were several more gatherings between Loveland and the airport besides ours). And we stood there for 45 minutes, maybe an hour, in the freezing sogginess, holding our flags and waiting. Truckers blew their horns for us as they rolled past, as did a large handful of passenger cars. We enjoyed their solidarity, but we were there for a specific group. Once we were all good and cold, the first lead cars went by, more police, sheriffs, and state troopers, with their lights running. Another few emergency cars came a minute or two later, but there were still a lot of regular cars in the mix. We wondered whether we'd missed our targets, and were the cop cars really at the end. No, the guy twenty feet down from us explained. We were waiting for buses. They were coming.
The last group of cop cars moved slower than the lead riders. They were traveling at more like 55 miles an hour, or even slower, on a 75 mph limit stretch. Behind them were four charter buses, with Colorado State University painted on the sides, full of veterans from the eras stretching between World War II and the Vietnam War, plus Purple Heart recipients from any conflict. They honked as they went by, and waved at us while we waved at them. I saw a couple camera flashes from inside a bus. I think they might have been as excited to see us as I was to see them.
These veterans were headed on an Honor Flight. There are groups all around the country who provide all-expense paid trips to these men and women, to thank them for their service to the nation. They fly out to Washington DC, and tour the memorials and get a chance to bond with other folks like themselves. I was invited to participate in the send-off by my Rotary sponsor, a woman who has volunteered for this program for years. I've been thinking for a couple months now that I'd like to find a way to make working for Honor Flights my annual volunteer project that I'm required to lead for my real estate brokerage. After watching the buses go by today, seeing the hundreds of people who turned out just in our small section for the send-off, and feeling the strong emotions I had as the vets went by, I'm more convinced than ever that this is where I should go. There is another flight going out in early September, and they'll need volunteers at some point, like maybe packing up the travel bags they give everyone. Watch this space in late summer for when I know more. I'll need willing hands to join me. Are you in?
No comments:
Post a Comment