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MARSEILLES: Motorcyclists plan memorial visit May 22
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CHARLES STANLEY, mbureau@mywebtimes.com, 815-795-2023


About 100 patriotic motorcyclists riding from California to Memorial Day activities in Washington, D.C., will roll in and out of Marseilles the morning of Tuesday, May 22.

They will visit the Middle East Conflicts Wall Memorial, Cheryl O'Brien, a member of the Marseilles Middle East Tribute Committee, reported at this week's Marseilles City Council meeting.

The bikers will be participating in the National Veterans Awarness Ride, a 10-day trip from Sacramento, Calif., to Washington.

According to the event's Web site -- http://www.nvar.us -- the ride is planned to:

Raise awareness for service members still listed as prisoners of war or missing in action;
Remember veterans and their families;
Educate younger generations about the cost of freedom;
Promote healing for all veterans.
The ride is in conjunction with this year's Rolling Thunder Across America XX.

For the 20th year, Rolling Thunder will attract the participation of thousands of motorcyclists from all over the country who will converge on Washington for a series of Memorial Day weekend events, including a ride to the Vietnam Veterans Memorial.

Police Chief Jim Hovious, another committee member, said he is setting up a short program for the 90-minute visit. Hovious said bikers, citing their travel schedule, declined offers of a meal and other hospitality.

According to the NVAR Web site, the riders are scheduled to leave Davenport, Iowa, at 8 a.m. and arrive in Marseilles at 10 a.m. After Marseilles they will drive to Morris for gas and lunch, then travel on to Michigan City, Ind.