59-year-old Combat Veteran Rides Bicycle 2,500 Miles Along East Coast to Honor Fallen and Disabled Warriors
The Patriot Honor Ride will take Col. Gary West from Lubec, Maine to Key West, Fla., on a 60-day journey to raise funds for Veterans.
Raising money for Folds of Honor, a charity providing educational scholarships to children and spouses of our fallen and disabled service men and women, Col Gary West will engage the public along the 2,500-mile journey to fold and fly 16 US flags dedicated to 16 Folds of Honor recipient families from each of the states he is traveling through, as a way to show gratitude for their sacrifice.
“I am raising funds and awareness for Folds of Honor, a non-profit changing lives and supporting the legacies of our finest Americans. I came home from three combat tours and was able to help my three boys get their education and start their adult lives without any obstacles. Now I want to do my part to help make sure some young person’s future is not left on the battlefield,” Col West said.
Scheduled Public Engagements include:
Aug 15 — Early afternoon flag ceremony at Rutgers University with ROTC units
Early evening (probable) Princeton area ceremony
Aug 16 — Morning flag ceremony at the NJ state house
Aug 17 — Early morning flag ceremonies and photos at Independence Hall/Liberty Bell Philadelphia, PA
Early afternoon flag ceremony on USS New Jersey Camden, NJ
Evening flag ceremony Wilmington Blue Rocks baseball game Wilmington, DE
Aug 18 — Evening engagement/ceremony VFW post 10028 Aberdeen, MD
Aug 19 — Afternoon photo op at Camden Yards with the Orioles mascot
Aug 20 — Morning flag ceremony at Fort McHenry
Flags will be folded as a show of honor in numerous historical places and points of interest along the way:
- The USS Constitution, Ground Zero, Freedom One Tower, Ten House Fire Station
- The State Capitol Buildings in Mass., R.I., N.J., and Va.
- Gillette Stadium, Fenway Park, Camden Yards, and Homestead Raceway
- Independence Hall, Ft. McHenry, Ft. Knox, and multiple monuments in the District of Columbia.
- Multiple military installations and monuments
- Civic Groups, schools, organizations
Col West served in the USAF for 26 years and commanded at the Squadron and Group levels. He led over 130 combat missions over Iraq and Bosnia, during Operations Desert Storm/Southern Watch and Operation Deny Flight/Deliberate Force. Col West served in the Pentagon on the Joint Staff and was in the building on Sept. 11, 2001. Gary currently serves as a Pastor at Chapel Springs Church, Bristow, VA.
For more information about Patriot Honor Ride or to donate, give by texting dollar amount and #patriotride to 36413 or go to www.patriothonorride.com.
