Shhhhh....they are sleeping.

I am not so sure it's safe to post a message but I hear Liz snoring loudly. She had this gremlin in her lap and the water was on in the other room. I wasn't sure who was in there but I quickly decided to get online to post MY side of the story when I realized that Liz had been preparing the journal for her update. After nearly an hour of typing she started snoring in an upright position. It was about that time when all the red words on the screen went POOF!! There were a LOT of them and nothing she tired made them come back. Gone.. just like that. A minute later I heard Kelly unlocking the door and Kathy coming from the shower. I don't have time to tell you what they did to me  today but first chance I get, I am going to recruit my pal, Joey to take part in some of the "fun" activities that Liz planned today.

For now, I hear a chain saw. I think that means something BAD is going to happen.  It is time to get some rest. I'll try to share my story soon.

Your pal,

The Rookie

Liz here.  Rookie and I will be he having a "discussion" today about appropriate postings.

In the meantime, we had some internet issues last night, and he is correct that all of our post disappeared.  Grrr. 

We're off, and will try again tonight.

lj and crew

And so it began ...

Day 1:  Saturday, 12 May, 2007 -- Fort Lewis, WA

Our own Fort Lewis Fire Department graciously hosted our departure ceremony, at their Main Station.  You can only imagine how cool it was to see their rigs lined up so formally in front of Station 1, with all the crews busily making sure everything was pristine for the roll out. Thanks to Chief Dixon & Chief Dalay, and their outstanding crews.  They truly made the day special!

 

We were honored by the presence of 2 of our favorite local Heroes ...Tacoma F.D. Chief Ron Stephens & TFD Chaplain Wilby Casey.  Talk about support!  We cannot say enough good about the way TFD, and Local 31 have shown their commitment to supporting our troops.

 

Sadly TFD Batallion Chief Jim Hannity was not well enough to attend.... We were honoring him via "Hannity's Crossing" for his support of HeroToHero.US -- He is the one who got us started on the overpass salute as we rolled out each of the past 3 years.  We wish him all the best, and keep him in our prayers.  We hope that he feels honored by our efforts and by those of our Puget Sound first responders.

 

Those honors included a full roll out procession.

 

During a brief ceremony, during which we thanked our sponsors & supporters ...

Starbucks -- Leann

Hertz --Tyson & Nie

Military Memorabilia -- John & Pam

CoinForce.com -- Jordan & Donna

Hooters of Tacoma -- Bill, Will & Jill

Tacoma Outback Steak House -- Joe & crew

Red Robin Restaurants *Operation Iraq'n'Robin

 

... For their continued support of our efforts.  (Please let them know how much they are appreciated.  These folks show what real community support is all about!  Kudos to all!) 

We would also like to thank...

USCG Recruiter Chief Steve Sisk

USMC Sgt Jonathan Coffey & Krystal Karpiak

319th EOD Mel Young

14th Engineers LTC Helmlinger

Photographer Jennifer L. West

Anthony Mladek; USAF

TFD Honor Guard Pipers Suzanne & Seamus

Keithley Middle School's Yellow Ribbon Club; Jennifer Thornton,  Cheyenne, DJ, & Cassandra.

Cookies by Design of Lakewood,

Kettle Falls Marina 

 

We want to thank ...

Tacoma Police Department Traffic Division -- The bikes rocked!

Lakewood PD Traffic Division --Thanks Mike & Steve - Perfect as always!

WA State Patrol - Niiice!  Appreciate all the help, Trooper Lewis!

Yelm Police - Representing Fallen Heroes

Gig Harbor Police - Det Fred Douglas (A member of our 1st multi-agency Color Guard)

The "Godzilla Gang"-- great Team work for us - AGAIN!  ( ;

AAFES - Way to support!

Xyience - Okay, we need some of that energy for the road!

The Ranger -- Looking forward to another great story!

 

We departed Fort Lewis at high noon with flags flying and light bars lit as we passed under the overpasses.  As we had hoped, nearly all 21 of them, from the Dupont gate to the Pierce/King County line were covered by Fire Personnel.   

 

For this honor we would like to thank;

The Bridge People Regulars of Freedom Bridge,

Lakewood Fire Department,

Steilacoom Fire Department,

McChord Air Force Fire Fighters,

Pierce County F.D. 17 & Cadets,

Bates Tech Fire Services,

Tacoma Fire Department,

Puyallup Fire Department,

Lacey Fire Department,

And yes, Milton, Edgewood, & Riverside Fire (Thanks for the efforts- someone gave them the wrong time).

 

The view as we passed under was spectacular, and something we will not likely forget.  A 20 car line up, plus bikes and rigs ... How do you beat that?!

 

The first photos are posted above ... there are MANY more, and we look forward to sharing them with you all.  Stand by, we are getting settled into our routine.  It is late now, we've crossed into Mountain time, and are feeling the miles starting to add up.  we'll adjust and get this all rolling. 

 

From the road crew ... Liz, Kathy, Kelly, Chief, Rookie --Who had to be intubated before we left the Fort Lewis FD (Our new pal, Joey, from the Tacoma Outback Steakhouse's) we would like to thank the Core Team/"Rear Det" ... Larry, Chani, Leta, Jonathan, JJ, Krystal, Juli, & Tara.  We couldn't do it without all of your hard work and we wouldn't want to do it without you.

 

And so we were off for another adventure of a lifetime.  As we departed, local gas prices hovered at $3.42 per gallon ... And we still have over 10,000 miles ahead of us, sigh.  Wanna help out?  We won't stop ya!

 

Oh, btw, you might also notice "guest appearances" from "Pocket Ellen" as we couldn't get "Cardboard Cutout Ellen".  We wanted her to get the opportunity to come see the road H2H style.  This is a Troop Morale campaign, and she has done so much for our troops and their loved ones ...We wanted to share some of the fun with her.  So Ellen ... This one's for you!  Holla!  *Even Oprah and Gail didn't have a road trip this big!

 

First up :

A "HeartStop" in Ellensburg at the Fire Department began our journey to our first stop in Moscow, ID.  And yep, "Pocket Ellen" made an appearance ... C'mon, it IS ELLENsburg, afterall!

 

It seemed only appropriate to go to Idaho for our first offical stop this time around soince our guest rider this year, Kelly Averbeck, is a Paid Call Fire Fighter and Elementary School Reading Teacher from Jerome Idaho.   It's always fun to see the road thru a "rookie rider's" eyes ... hehe!  ( ;  So, Moscow, Idaho was the first official stop on the tour.

 

We arrived in Moscow and were met at the local WalMart by Moscow P.D. at 9:30pm (Due to storms and lightning, our arrival was later than expected). We were escorted back to the station for some photo ops. The guys were great.  They are very supportive, and have pledged coats from their department, which will likely end up in Afghanistan on the next shipment, in March.  We had a lot of fun with them, and want to commend them for the way they represented with humor, humility & integrity.  The pix will tell the story!

 

Umm, by the time we departed the station, Rookie wasn't so sure he wanted to continue this tour.  I think we overheard something about jumping ship the next time he hears stories about gun shows or tazers.

 

But he seemed to really like the pretty pink bubbles coming from the local fountain -- WSU was having graduation events.

 

We had planned on spending the night in moscow, but with graduation and all, there were no rooms to be had.  Our day ended when we arrived in Couer D'Alene, ID at 1:30am.  Luckily we were able to sleep in a little to prepare for day 2.  

 

And we'll have to tell you all about it - right after this break!  (I feel like Howie Mandel!)

 

lj & the crew 

 

Feel free to leave comments for us ... they are motivating when the days get long!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Inside the 24 hour window ...

Well, we are "down to it".  When next I write we will be on the road again!

Feel free to leave messages for us, they are motivating when the road gets long ... and it will, with over 10,000 miles to go!

This time it is Kathy, Kelly and Liz on the road with the new mascot, Chief & Rookie (Can you guess which one will get the decorations and which one will get the duties?).

A heads up ... Posts will be about a day or two behind the actual stop.  This will give us a little break and solve the "no internet" dilemmas we sometimes face.

We hope this brings smiles to many ... especially our heroes and their loved ones.  We do this for all of you - with love and honor and laughter!

lj

PS ... Joe from AOL, please email me directly so we can arrange that meeting.

They're baaaaaaaack!!!

I want to thank Joe, at the AOL Journal help center!  Thanks to him, our photos are back!!! 

THANK YOU!

( ;

lj

 

The countdown begins ...

The "Passport" Tour
Our 4th Annual National Tour
Honoring our Fallen & Wounded Troops & First Responders
55 Cities - 2 Countries - 30 States -10,000 Miles & 6 Weeks on the Road
May 12th- June 23rd

Moscow, ID ~ Billings, MT ~ Sheridan, WY ~ Rapid City, SD ~ Mitchell, SD ~ Sioux Falls, SD ~ Fond Du Lac, WI ~ Holland, MI ~ Detroit, MI ~ Sarnia, Ontario, Canada ~ London, Ontario, Canada ~ Niagara Falls, Ontario, Canada ~ Buffalo, NY ~ Cleveland, OH ~ Cambridge, OH ~ Wheeling, WV ~ Shanksville, PA ~ Hollidaysburg, PA ~ Framingham, MA ~ Manchester, NH  ~ Portland, ME ~ Providence, RI ~ Durham, CT ~  New Haven, CT ~ New York, NY ~ Trenton, NJ ~ Philadelphia, PA  ~ Baltimore, MD ~ Washington DC/Fairfax, VA ~ Dover, DE ~ Norfolk, VA ~ Raleigh/Durham, NC ~ Charlotte, NC ~ Columbia, SC ~ Brunswick, GA ~ Orlando, FL ~ Melbourne, FL ~ Naples, FL ~ St. Petersburg, FL ~ Mobile, AL ~ Gretna/New Orleans, LA ~ Lafayette, LA ~ Houston, TX ~ Dallas, TX ~ Odessa. TX ~ Las Cruces, NM ~ Tucson, AZ ~ Phoenix, AZ ~ San Diego, CA ~ Port Hueneme, CA ~ Contra Costa/Berkeley, CA ~ Sacramento/Lodi, CA ~ Redding, CA ~ Newport, OR ~ Garibaldi/Tillamook, OR

Wow!  Time flies, huh?  We are under a week to go for the 4th annual (inter)national tour honoring our Fallen & Wounded Heroes ... Troops, Firefighters & Law Enforcement

Can YOU help?  You betcha!  Now that gas has gone well over $3, it's kinda scary.  We have over 10,000 miles to go.  So what can YOU do?

Look at the list of our scheduled stops, if we're coming to your town, make sure your police and fire are aware of us.  We always have 1 or 2 stops that are new to the program, and it can be a tough thing to explain initially.

Have a car wash, or pass the boot/hat at your department to help us raise funds for our 6 weeks on the road.

We need gas cards for various major Gas companies, ie, 76, Shell, Chevron, Mobil, Texaco, Conoco, etc.  Food on the road is a good thing. If you have access to gift cards for food chains that can be used nationally, that will help. The same goes for the major hotel chains, just make sure they are usable nationally during May & June.

Donations can be made via PayPal, use the "Send Money" option, and send your donation to: PatrioticPastime@aol.com  **Please put "H2H Tour Donation" in the message/note" section.

(**IF we receive more than we need forthe road, that money will be set aside afterward for the '08 Shirt Drive/PackOut.)

We're not in one place very long, but if we are coming to your town, we'd love to meet you, and at least get to shake your hand and say hello!.  Get hold of us at: HeroShirts@aol.com

Remember, we photojournal this, so you can follow us all the way & send us messages ... they really help our morale when the road gets long.  Afterall, this is ultimately a morale campaign ... Hope we can bring some smiles!

lj
Tags: firefighter, law enforcement, heroes, tour, help

Bidding goodbye to LTG Dubik & Sharon Basso

April 30th- Another beautiful day in the pacific northwest.  And with the exception that we are all saying goodbye to two of our favorite people ... LTG James Dubik, and his amazing wife, Sharon Basso.

These pictures tell the story from the 7th row, behind their family.  Their beautiful new twin granddaughters were there for the day, but I think one of them pretty much slept through it all ... including the cannons!  The family was exactly as you would expect, and were all smiles for it all.

Four star General Campbell spoke, drawing a few chuckles and applause.  It was just a great day all around.

If there was ever a doubt that these two were special, all you had to do was watch them, and listen to the words spoken about their contributions and endeavors while here at Fort Lewis.

Watching the General watching his lady get accolades and awards and praise, he stood with a beaming smile, and so much love and pride in his eyes.  In fact, the end of his speech included a statement to the effect that he would be proud to be General Basso.

She teared up several times and was surprised by special honors bestowed upon her.  But there was no surprise for us.  Sharon has been a phenomenal champion in this effort.  She's attended events, supported HeartStones, she even shot the CoinForce.com t-shirt cannon at this year's PackOut.

There are some who do things because they are required, some who do it to "check that box" off, some who do it because their role calls for it ... and then there is Sharon.  She does what she does, from her heart .. and it shows!

I thank her for her friendship and counsel, her support, and for her genuine realization of the importance of supporting troop morale.  Wish we could clone this one, folks!

Sharon, we'll see you in early June!  Sharon has asked us to visit her during the national tour stop in the DC area.  We look forward to it!!!

The general and his lady are leaving some big shoes to fill!

General Troy is stepping up and now has command of Fort Lewis.  We hope to see his smiling face with us for future events!  ( ;  We would welcome him, but he is a familiar face here at Fort Lewis, so ummm ... sheesh, how do you do this one?  lol  Good luck General Troy ... you won't need it, you have this wired!

lj

PS ... It was good to see so many troops and family members of Fort Lewis units who have been recipients of Hero shirts over the last 4 years.  We have promises from a number of these that will be there for the ceremony and roll out from the main fire house at Fort Lewis, or up on Freedom Bridge.

Tags: LTG James Dubik, Sharon Basso, General Troy, Fort Lewis

Sharen, raise your right hand.

Wednesday, the 25th, our outgoing mascot, young Miss Sharen SHertz was inducted into the Washington State Army National Guard, in Lakewood.  She is the second H2H mascot to get sworn in, to be a guard member. 

Sgt Watts (great guy) and his team have been amazing supporters for the effort.  They are always there for us when we ask.  Watching them deal with the future recruits shows they are not just ticking off numbers, they remember these troops afterward and will mention good things about them when they see photos of them in uniform later on.  They make our events more special, and fun.  During the swearing in we all end up laughing during this most serious moment in our mascots lives.  So far, the mascots have joined no other branches, but rumor has it that there is another military branch checking out Sharen.  We'll see.  But yes, the WA ARNG was the first!  ( ;

Hmmm. looks like she will be doing a "DITY" move to get out to Columbia SC, where she will live in the CFD Fire Museum.  She is getting herself all "purtyfied", so she isn't making it to many photo ops ... A gal's gotta get her rest, ya know?

Sharen has been a great gal to play with, not as ornery as SHertz Forda Troops, but a real little sweetheart!

She'll be at the roll out for "Hannity's Crossing", and will be teaching our new mascots Chief & Rookie the ropes.

lj

**Photos taken by Jennifer L. West
Tags: WashingtonState Army National Guard, Columbia FD SC Fire Museum, mascot, Chief, Rookie