Brandon's Ride 2015

Brandon's Ride this year... I have had days to process it all, but still struggle to find the words. I am blessed to have this family in my life. And so many supportive friends and community members. Saturday was cold and rainy, we talked about postponing the event. But I said no! We probably could have had a much better turn out if we had put it off until the sun was shining, but I knew in my heart it had to happen that day.
We had a few bikes show up to registration, but a number of them left before we started the ride... safety was a huge issue! We decided to change the route, due to the fact that the original plan would have taken us to higher elevations where we knew there would be snow. I had six amazingly brave bikers, and 2 passengers, brave the elements and ride!
By the time we arrived at the park for the meal and festivities, the smile on my face just grew! We pulled in and I saw a pavilion packed with people! I was thrilled that so many people still came out to support the event and the causes! I'm pretty sure I was crying as I walked up.
Honor and Remember presented a personalized flag to Carol and the family. We had a representative from Canines With A Cause, and Hand In Hand Outdoors~ the two organizations we chose to contribute our funds to. Golden Corral, as always, provided us with a wonderful meal. We had a number of businesses donate awesome prizes for the raffle.
In the end it was a success! We did not raise as much money as I had hoped, but we did raise just shy of $1200, which is being divided between the two organizations.
This was an incredible experience for me. Organizing and seeing it all come together as well as it did... I could not have done it all without Steves help! I had never done something like this, and was really just winging it, but Steve has done this before, he reminded me of things I never would have thought about, he made contacts that were key to the success of this event.
Our favorite local hero, and Purple Heart recipient, Gordon Ewell (in the photo with Carol), was there at registration as he is every year~ to give us a motivational speech and send off, and as always, stood in the street saluting us as we pulled out... even in the downpour!
I am still so overwhelmed with emotions from this. But my mind is already racing with ideas and planning for next year! 2016 will mark the tenth year of this event, and the weather has to be better than this year was!
Just a short background for anyone who doesn't know about this event or Brandon... Brandon J Thomas was killed in Iraq in 2005, doing what he believed in. The following year his father, Steve, put together this event, originally to start a scholarship fund to help children of the fallen go to college. After a few years, he was not able to continue organizing the event due to time restraints. So for three years, I did just a memorial ride. No fees or raffles, just to ride in memory of Brandon. Because of the fact that no one had applied for the scholarship, we decided to change from the scholarship to actually donating the monies to organizations that can use the money now.
 It is always an honor to support our fallen and the wounded and those suffering PTSD.
GOD BLESS AMERICA!