Operation Enduring Freedom~Doc Killian performing

 Bob

I've been asked to perform and I consider it an Honor to do so. I will be donating this performance at no cost...

Enduring Freedom event that will be held June 28, 2008 in Lake Odessa, Michigan~ for our soldiers.

On that Saturday, the non-profit veterans awareness group called Rolling Thunder will be holding their annual Enduring Freedom ride from Grand Rapids and ultimately ending up at the capital in Lansing (anywhere from 500 bikers to 1500 bikers). They are planning a midway stop and stretch stop here in Lake Odessa. I’m the Secretary for The Lakewood Area Chamber of Commerce and when I heard about their “stop and stretch” I got the Chamber involved and we thought of a cool way to honor our soldiers.

We’re constructing a moveable (non-permanent) Iraqi Freedom wall in the park with a list of soldiers names who have served while during the Iraqi Freedom war (reserves or active duty) for anyone who’d like to give me their names. We’re also planning a photo display in the pavilion for those who’d like to drop of 8x10 copies of pictures of their soldiers at the Page Building here in Lake Odessa. (After the event the photos and wall will be moved to our local VFW).

The Rolling Thunder sent out letters to every fallen soldier’s family in the state of Michigan letting them know about this event and inviting them to Lake Odessa or the Capital. Their President will be making a special presentation to two area families soldier’s who’ve died during Iraqi Freedom and we’re having the VFW do a 21-gun salute and two professional buglers do a shadow rendition of taps. This will all take place in our Village Park where there is a stage and room for lawn chairs. We’ll have food and drinks available and we’re also getting t-shirts made with the list of soldiers on the back of the t-shirts.

After the festivities, the Lake Odessa Police department will escort the bikers in a parade so we can send them off to the capital.

Lots of planning has gone into this but we’d like to do a little more. We’d like to start the festivities with entertainment starting around 10:00am. The bikers are due to arrive in Lake Odessa around 11:00am and the send off will be around 12:00pm but from 10:00am – 11:20am we’d like to provide entertainment for the soldiers families and the community.

Village of Lake Odessa
1103 Jordan Lk Street
Lake Odessa, MI 48849