Albuquerque, New Mexico Mayor Martin J. Chavez, and City Council on August 1, 2005. I thank Mayor Martin J. Chavez and City Council very much for being proud of their cities First Call Responders. I also want to thank riders Jim (Cyber) Grant and Rick Parsons for making this happen. They were both the New Mexico State Coordinators last year for TAA. Rick Parsons and Paul Elam are the New Mexico State Coordinators for TAA this year.
Branson West, Missouri City Council in 2005. I read about it in the newspaper. I do not know any of them but I do thank them for being proud of their cities First Call Responders. Branson West is the only city in America I know of so far that has did this without me or any riders that I know of asking them to do it.
Fairborn, Ohio Mayor Thomas H. Nagel, and City Council on August 12, 2005. I thank Mayor Thomas H. Nagel and City Council very much for being proud of their cities First Call Responders. I also want to thank riders Les and Nancy Knauer for making this happen. Les Knauer is the Ohio State Coordinator for TAA.
Forsyth, Missouri Mayor Karl A. Smith, and City Council on February 20, 2006. I thank Mayor Karl A. Smith and City Council very much for being proud of their cities First Call Responders.
Thank you for the wonderful evening and support.
Hollister, Missouri Mayor Dave G. Tate, was the third Mayor in America to pass a Resolution making September 11 a "Recognition Day" for Hollister’s First Call Responders on March 3, 2005. I thank Mayor Dave G. Tate and City Council for being proud of their cities First Call Responders. Mayor Dave Tate fixed all of us hamburgers the day we road through Hollister on the 2004 ride.
Kimberling City, Missouri Mayor Gary P. Conway, was the second Mayor in America to pass a Resolution making September 11 a "Recognition Day" for Kimberling City’s First Call Responders on February 15, 2005. I thank Mayor Gary P. Conway and City Council for being proud of their cities First Call Responders. Mayor Gary Conway helped us put together a ride for our National Guard and Army Reserve in 2004.
Kingman, Arizona Mayor Monica Gates, was the first Mayor in America to pass a Resolution making September 11 a "Recognition Day" for Kingman’s First Call Responders on January 18, 2005. I thank Mayor Monica Gates and City Council very much for being proud of their cities First Call Responders. I thank Mother Road Harley-Davidson and the Kingman Chamber of Commerce for inviting her to be a speaker. I also thank all the riders in and around Kingman for your help in making this happen and for your support every year the ride comes through Kingman.
The goal I had set to get 9/11 to become a National Recognition Day for First Call Responders had failed as we started the 2004 TAA ride. Not one congressman or senator I contacted would help. So at this time I gave up trying to attain this goal.
When Mayor Monica Gates was addressing us she said that she would try and make 9/11 a "Recognition Day" for Kingman’s First Call Responders. At that moment I knew there was still hope in making 9/11 become a National Recognition Day for them. I can never thank Mayor Monica Gates enough for what she started.
Lakeport, California Mayor Robert L. Rumfelt, and City Council on February 21, 2006. I thank Mayor Robert L. Rumfelt and City Council very much for being proud of their cities First Call Responders. I thank riders John Norcio, Robert Jordan, Larry & Suzanne Schnider for making this happen. Lets all have dinner in Old Town San Diego before the ride this year.
Oceanside, California Mayor Jim Wood, and City Council on August 17, 2005. I thank Mayor Jim Wood and City Council very much for being proud of their cities First Call Responders. I think riders Mike Lee, Wayne Forester, Peter & Roseanne Nash and Glen Ottman for making this happen. As most of you all know Mike Lee is a Firefighter at Camp Pendleton Marine Base. Mike Lee and Wayne Forester are both TAA State Coordinators for California. Wayne Forester, Peter & Roseanne Nash and Glenn Ottman are all members of the CMA. Without these riders there would be no starting of the TAA ride in California.
Reeds Spring, Missouri Mayor Pro-Tem Paul E. Lear, and City Council on February 7, 2006. I thank Reeds Spring Mayor Pro-Tem Paul E. Lear and City Council very much for being proud of their cities First Call Responders. Thank you very much for the wonderful evening and support.
Township of Florence, County of Burlington, State of New Jersey, Mayor Michael J. Muchowski and City Council in 2005. I thank Mayor Michael J. Muchowski and City Council very much for being proud of their cities First Call Responders. I thank rider Kathi Bedard for making this happen. Kathi and her husband Fred Bedard are members of Red Knights NJ 14 and were both a part of the rescue efforts at Ground Zero. They and the Red Knights NJ 14 play a very very big roll in putting this ride together on the east coast. The amount of time they spent putting everything together before the ride really shines on the day of the ride into NYC.
Troy, Illinois Mayor Tom Caraker Sr., and City Council in 2005. I thank Mayor Tom Caraker Sr. and City Council very much for being proud of their cities First Call Responders. I thank Troy Illinois VFW Post 976 Commander Roger Alons, and all the members of Post 976 for making this happen a long with all the other great things all of you make possible. I also want to thank all the motorcycle clubs for your support.
New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson in 2005. Governor Bill Richardson made sure it was a "Recognition Day" for all First Call Responders in the State of New Mexico. We are asking him to do the same in 2006. I thank rider Jim (Cyber) Grant for making this possible.
September 11, 2001 was a very sad day in America but they say in times like this something good always happens. They were right because America was super proud of their First Call Responders. On that day we saw how dedicated they were in putting their lives and families aside just to save us.
If we cannot put one day aside on our calendar just to say "Thank You" to them I feel sorry for us as a country. We do not deserve this type of loyalty from people that are willing to give up their life and families just to save us.
We have "Armed Forces Day" for all the members of our Armed Forces who put their lives and families aside to protect us so why do we not have a recognition day for our First Call Responders?
By making 9/11 a "Recognition Day" for them also adds pride to their family and children. I cannot count how many times I have heard or read about a First Call Responder dying in the line of duty that left behind one or more children. So is not one day on our calender to say "Thank You" to their father or mother worth anything to us. Their loved ones need to know we will always be great full for the sacrifices they give to us.
