Hogs & Hero's
Tech. Sgt. Joseph Wilkinson served multiple tours in the Middle East as part of the U. S Air Force Security Forces. Upon his return from his final deployment in 2005 he started suffering from neurological issues which to this date, his doctors have been unable to diagnose. These neurological problems have removed from Tech. Sgt. Wilkinson his ability to walk and have left him confined to a wheel chair. To further add insult to injury, Tech. Sgt. Wilkinson has not yet started to receive his disability payments from the VA and his current home is not wheel chair friendly making even the simplest of chores very complicated.
To assist Tech. Sgt. Wilkinson, Mike Conte got Rolling Thunder Chapter 2 from Staten Island(Mike’s dad is the President), Rolling Thunder Chapter 5 from Albany and the Stephen Sitler Tunnel to Towers Foundation to join forces to hold a benefit run to raise funds to assist Tec. Sgt. Wilkinson in procuring a new home.
The ride was named Hogs & Hero’s and was scheduled to leave the Pinebush Fire Station located on Western Avenue Extension in Albany, NY and would end at the Marine Village in Lake George, NY. Prior to the rides departure, Ron Lewis of Rolling Thunder Chapter 5 gave the ride orientation and Capt. Traci Stewart led the riders in the Pledge of Allegiance. The National Anthem was sung by Aly Corwley-Duncan and Austin Wilkinson (Tech. Sgt. Wilkinson’s son) performed the duties of Color Guard. At the conclusion of the pre-ride activities the riders mounted their bikes and headed out. The departure was all that much more special as Aly was playing the bag pipes during the departure. This is one truly talented child.
The ride proceeded up Interstate 87 North to exit 10 where we picked up Route 9P which took around the southern end of Saratoga Lake. From 9P the ride traveled on Route 423 until it intersected with Route 32. The ride then traveled on Route 32 through Victory Mills to Schuylerville where we picked up Route 4/32. We traveled on Route 4/32 North until Route 32 split from Route 4 and we stayed on Route 32 until we hit Route 9 in South Glens Falls, NY. We then traveled Route 9 North through Glens Falls and Queensbury until we reached the Marine Village Resort in Lake George, NY where the ride terminated.
The Marine Village Resort was a great place to terminate the run. The hamburgers, dogs and salads were plentiful and nothing can really beat sitting on a stone wall overlooking the Marine Village Beach and majestic Lake George. Preliminary entertainment was provided by KC the DJ which was followed up by the Steel City Band.
This was our first ride of the riding season and even though it was put together on short notice, 45 bikes showed up for the run. I had a great time on this run. It was well organized, executed very well, covered some very scenic country side and benefited a truly deserving individual and his family.
There are going to a number of different fund raisers hosted by Rolling Thunder Chapter 5, Rolling Thunder Chapter 2 and the Stephen Sitler Tunnel to Towers Foundation to raise the $150,000 needed to build Tech. Sgt. Wilkinson and his family a new home. You can follow the progress of the fund raising efforts on Facebook @ “Tech Sgt. Joseph Wilkinson Fundraiser”. As we hear about them, we will publish them in the Schedule of Events and will highlight them in future issues.
