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Lodge News
CALERA ELKS VISITED BY MAN ON QUEST TO HELP VETERANS
There have been times when we have seen the homeless pushing carts that contain all their worldly possessions. We have seen them sleeping on on park benches, under cardboard boxes, in alley ways and under bridges.
Have any of us ever stopped to wonder who this person is or why and how their lives have been changed and brought to this level of existence?
I recently met a man who told me a story of inspiration. He was just livng his life as we all normally do. This man is a former Marine Corporal. It was a normal day like any other. He was wearing his Marine cap with pride and decided to stop at a local store. Upon exiting the store he noticed a man going through the garbage dumpster searching for food and neccessities.After noticing my friends Marine cap, the man approached him and my friend was amazed to see a Marine emblem on his arm. He was one of our country's Marine Veterans!The meeting of a stranger at a local store changed my friend's life forever! He began collecting blankets, food, clothes and whatever else he could gather and giving them to the homeless and wounded veterans. Through perseverance and dedication, he was able to organize Remember The Wounded Ride Inc. My friend's name is Scot King and he is a man of true character. The RTWR is a non-profit organization. It assists combat-wounded veterans and their families when government, military and Veterans Administration sources have been exhausted or their needs are not covered. The RTWR's mission is to enrich the lives of our combat wounded veterans and their families. They also wish to educate the public to the effects of war on every American family and honor those wounded veterans who have unselfishly defended our country with pride. As founder of RTWR, Kng has been peddling across America to the city halls to raise awareness and support. This endeavor is in its second year. Last year he traveled 6,025 miles through the months of May to October. This year, he will hope to complete his journey by traveling an additional 8,000 miles from April through September 2012. Along the way, he has been colllecting the stories of combat wounded veterans, to be published as told to him in a seris of books. Proceeds from these books will help assist combat wounded veterans and their families. He has visited the governors office of each state, collecting their state flags to be presented in a special ceremony on or near Veterans Day 2013 in Portland Oregon. The flags will be flown for one year in honor of our country's combat wounded veterans. This Memorial Day weekend turned out to be special for the Calera Elks. After King visited our state capital in Montgomery, he traveled to Calera where the Calera Elks arranged for him to stay at the Hampton Inn. King was brought to the Calera Elks Lodge where he was treated to a delicious barbeque dinner. King met and spoke with our veteran members and shared his travel experiences. Sunday morning, member and veteran Jim Graydon escorted him to Gardendale where he resumed his travel to Cullman to particapate in Memorial Day Festivities at the Cullman Lodge # 1609. It was a great pleasure to meet someone of kindred spirit, whose dedicaton and heart felt endeavors will hopefully continue to help provide aid and comfort to those who so truly deserve our love and respect, our nation's veterans. King's travels may be tracked by GPS by going to RTWR.org.
Posted by: Calera, AL #2703 (08/06/2012)
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