Page 54 - Laconia Rally News 2018

25TH ANNUAL POW/MIA FREEDOM RIDE, “THE RIDE TO THE ROCK”
JUNE 14, 2018 ~ THURSDAY at 7:00 PM
HESKY PARK, MEREDITH
30th Anniversary of the Vigil • 25th Anniversary of the Freedom Ride
“As an American asked to serve, I was prepared to fight, to be wounded, to be captured and even prepared to die, but I was not prepared to be abandoned.” – Former POW Eugene “Red” McDaniel
For the past 25 years bikers attending F
men and women missing in action or held prisoner during times of war and/or conflict.
Laconia Motorcycle Week® have joined
forces on Thursday afternoon and made his-
tory in the Northeast. Over the past several
years, over 20 thousand motorcyclists have rid-
den their motorcycles in the Northeast
POW/MIA Network® Freedom Ride. This year
join us for the ride from all points in Country to “The Rock” Hesky Park, Meredith. The ROCK in Hesky Park in Meredith is now ‘The States Original POW/MIA Memorial’.
The Freedom Ride brings riders to The State’s Original POW/MIA Memorial, “The Rock”, at Hesky Park in Meredith where
“This is the 30th Anniversary Of the Meredith Thursday evening Pow/MIA Awareness Vigil and 25th Anniversary Of the Freedom Ride when Bikers from All over the State and Nation belonging to All groups come together for this one Focus ! This is Your year, your group..Largest gathering Ever in the Northeast
of Bikes for Any Issue ! We talk about the importance of our Troops and Support? This is the Ride To The Rock!
small group of veterans began holding weekly Thursday night vigils to bring to light the nation’s lack of effort to account for all service men and women missing from Vietnam. Through times of basking heat, ridged rain storms and mid-winter snows, this small group of people held vigils to gain people’s attention to the fact that members of our armed forces were unaccounted for and forgotten.
members of the Northeast POW/MIA Network conduct a vigil to honor those forgotten by our
government.
The Northeast POW/MIA Network vigil in Meredith gained nationwide attention some 30 years ago when a
Together We Stand! As Bikers we ride Together!”
pating. Let your voice be heard.
The Freedom Ride is slated to begin at 6PM on Thursday, June 14, 2018, with line up beginning at 5PM at the Route 11 ~ 1407 Lakeshore Road, Gilford, NH 03249 (Lowe’s parking lot). This year looks to break all years in participa- tion as organizers have joined forces with Blue and Gold Star Mothers of NH, all veterans and veteran organizations, together with all bikers and biker organizations.
If you or your group are inter- ested in riding in the Freedom Ride and need more informa- tion, please con- tact Bob Jones through email at Contact@north- eastpowmianet- work.org. Visit northeastpowmi- anetwork.org or see us on Facebook. #
For those who have yet to participate in the Freedom Ride, the real focus of the ride is to bring into light an issue that affects hundreds of Americans and their families, those 52
If you are unable to participate in the Freedom Ride, please make time to be at Hesky Park for the vigil that begins at 7PM.
Let’s make this year’s Freedom Ride & Vigil the largest by taking a few hours of your time during the Rally and partici-
It is the hope of all those people who are actively involved in the POW/MIA Northeast Network that this year’s Freedom Ride will exceed all others in attendance.
Photo Courtesy: Michael Lichter • LichterPhoto.com
Photo Courtesy: Michael Lichter • LichterPhoto.com