Eagles fly through on annual ride
Eagles fly through on annual ride
| CAPTION: Jane Nordberg/Daily Mining Gazette Chaplain Rod Guilbault and American Legion Post No. 186 Commander Frank Taucher listen to Forgotten Eagles President Terry Nelson during a ceremony at Veterans Park Wednesday afternoon, as part of a “Ride Across Michigan” fundraiser, now in its third year. |
By JANE NORDBERG, DMG Writer
HOUGHTON — Amid the roar of 45 rumbling motorcycle engines and a county law enforcement escort, members and friends of the Forgotten Eagles veterans group hit town Wednesday afternoon during the Third Annual Ride Across Michigan.
As part of its mission to raise awareness of POWs and MIAs and support all Michigan veterans, the 600-member group does most of its work on motorcycles.
Members and officers from Chapter 1, from the Eastern Upper Peninsula and northern lower Michigan, were joined at the Baraga County line by members of the newly-formed Chapter 2, area supporters and representatives from the Houghton County Sheriff’s Department, who escorted them to a short ceremony at Veterans Park in Houghton.
Acting as master of ceremonies, Frank Taucher of American Legion Alfred Erickson Post 186 in Hancock welcomed the group.
“I am deeply humbled and gratified to have all of you here,” Taucher said.
He then presented a plaque on behalf of the Legion to Forgotten Eagles President Terry Nelson, which generated multiple cheers of “Hoo Ra” from the crowd.
“We don’t look like much but we certainly mean well,” Nelson said.
Continuing, he said the group had a good ride from lower Michigan, despite rain from Sault Ste. Marie to Negaunee.
He also thanked the Houghton County Sheriff’s Department for the escort from the county line, adding that similar thanks were due to Marquette County’s Sheriff Loveless for his escort of the group.
“Maybe he just didn’t want us there, but he was very good to us,” Nelson joked.
Touching on more serious matters, Nelson said the group’s 600 members are helping to fill the gaps left by federal aid.
“Even though (veterans) might be in a V.A. hospital, it doesn’t mean everything is paid for,” he said, explaining that the Forgotten Eagles helps veterans’ families pay for items such as eyeglasses, dentures and funeral expenses. “There are a lot of vets missing in America,” he said.
A moment of silence was also held for seven servicemen killed in the line of duty in the Middle East, including three from the Copper Country communities of Atlantic Mine, Calumet and Ontonagon.
Chaplain Rod Guilbault conducted a prayer for all service people who are currently battling torture, starvation and feelings of abandonment as MIAs or POWs.
Guilbault’s prayer also included a request for assistance to keep veterans’ monuments and memorials maintained so that “later generations will understand and be able to acknowledge the sacrifices” of service men and women.
Dennis Cleary was also introduced to the group as the president of Forgotten Eagles Chapter 2, which formed in February, before Taucher closed the ceremony by inviting all those present to gather for dinner at the Legion.
Following the ceremony, Taucher said he was “very touched” by the amount of support shown by area residents for the group as they rode through Houghton County.
“People were waving and cheering us on and that means so very much that people are supportive,” he said.
Cleary agreed that the local community gave the group a warm welcome.
“We saw one guy jogging along on the sidewalk, and when he saw us, he immediately stood at attention and saluted us until all of us went by,” he said.
Cleary earlier had presented a check for $400 representing donations from individuals and businesses that conducted fundraisers during the last two months. However, he couldn’t say whether the goal of $14,000 for the Ride Across Michigan had been reached.
“We had fewer bikers this year but more donations,” he said. “We’d like to see more people come out next year.”
Chapter 1 Secretary Jenny Lord said she extended her trip this year to ride with the group from Sault Ste. Marie rather than joining in at her U.P. hometown of Gulliver as she had in 2004 and 2005.
“We had some great police escorts, saw a lot of flags and people coming out of their houses waving,” she said. “It was awesome.”
The group stayed overnight in Hancock before heading today to ceremonies in Rockland, Iron Mountain, Escanaba and Manistique.
For more information on the Forgotten Eagles of Michigan, see www.forgotteneagles.org.
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