Posted on 10/17/2007 6:01:28 AM PDT by Sensei Ern
This was our fifth show since starting a year ago. I think one every three months is about right. I counted 50 heads in the middle of the show. Not bad for one where I had so many obstacles.
Obstacles:
1. Thursday, I wiped out on my bike, injuring my leg, keeping me bed-ridden for two days.
2. Being bed-ridden means that my bike-ridden was in hiatus. I was not able to get to Walter Reed Friday nor Saturday to promote the show, getting soldiers excited.
3. Prayer is needed for Jimmy Meritt, http://www.myspace.com/jimmymeritt, and his wife, http://www.myspace.com/lesliecooley, and her father. Her father is in the hospital and they could not make it to the show. Pray for Jimmy and wife to be comforted and for her dad to recover.
4. Day of the show, traffic decided to be extra difficult, so Doc Raoul arrived later than expected with the hoagies, huge preztels and cake. He drove all the way from Pitt,Pa to be here for the show.
Despite these issues, the show went on, and was great.
The show started about 4pm, when I took an hour to set up my equipment, which good friend, Mike Sparling brought to the show in his SUV. I would have otherwise used my motorcycle, but that would have been several trips, and I am still a little wary riding me bike. Mike is on the board of America's Wounded Heroes, http://www.americaswoundedheroes.com/ , AWH sponsored the show, and I am so grateful for their help.
Kelly Terranova, http://www.myspace.com/kellyterranova, and Chris Barylick, http://www.myspace.com/chrisbarylick, arrived early. I invited them to enjoy some hoagies while I continued to meet and greet as well as set my equipment.
Then, Noel McLeary, http://www.noelmclearyonline.com/, arrived with her parents. Noel's sound equipment made my new 250 watt powered speakers cower in fear. 650Watt Amp, speakers the size of Volkswagens, and a mic that could pick up the sound of Chris Barylick's frozen tv dinner evolving in his fridge.
I took my sound equipment down, and helped set hers up. After a half hour of mic checks, recording checks, and a quick rehearsal, we all went and had a bite to eat. Those hoagies were GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOD!
Around 5:30, the girls from WiseAcres arrived...Katie, http://www.myspace.com/katie_shepard , and Jessica, (I can't find her URL, but if you go to Katie's MySpace page, you will find a link to Jessica's page). They got to sit and talk with the soldiers for about 90 minutes as the time for the show approached. FYI, Katie is heading to Chicago in a few months, to join the Navy, to be a medic. Stop by and give her props for that.
At 6:45, I corralled our performers, reviewed how things would work and began the show.
After my intro, Noel sang her heart out. She is so talented. Her voice is stronger than that of a person twice her size. Her singing brought in at least a dozen soldiers just to hear her sing. They stayed for the rest of the show, and that is always good.
I brought in a special guest, Bert Caswell, who works at the Capital Building. It was his first time at a mic, but he did very well, doing a few presidential impressions, and then reading a poem he wrote that is now part of the Congressional Record.
Since Jimmy couldn't make it, I took his spot and did my standard set.
Chris then had his turn. He delivered 15 minutes of solid material. He is definately invited back any time he wants. After the show, several soldiers had good things to say about him.
Kelly then took the mic and did what I only dream of some day doing...bringing 45 minutes of solid laughter. If anyone reading this blog is looking for a headliner to do either a club show or a corporate show, you will be getting the best of the best with Kelly Terranova.
Noel finished the show with three more songs. I found out after the show, that a couple soldiers have connections that could advance her career...I can't wait to see what comes of it.
In closing, I just want to say, Thank you Kelly, Chris, Noel, Doc, Mike, Jessica, and Katie.
Oh, and
OUR TROOPS ROCK!
Ping the crowd!
Guess you need to put training wheels on your scooter. Nicely done.
Great job, Ern! Hope you feel better soon. You’ve been a real blessing to the troops!
Bless your heart, Ern. Wish I could have been there. It sounds wonderful.
Seriously, as I told the audience when you brought everyone up on stage at the end, the hoagies and everything else was due to a lot of great people chipping in to fund it when they heard about the plan. I was just the shopper/driver.
To all those that made this happen, thanks thanks from the patients and families (and from me). You'll be happy to know that the food was a big hit and it ALL went, with lots of people complimenting you on the great food. In addition to that, I overheard many conversations while people were eating in the breezeway about how good the hoagies were.
One soldier stressed that something on a weekday was special and reached more soldiers. A lot go off post during the weekend.
Over the last few of these, we've learned some lessons as to what works, how to make things work better and how much to bring. This time we filled four 28 quart coolers and two 56 quart coolers with sandiches. The soda, plates, TastyKakes, pretzels and the rest filled my car.
We've had a number of requests to do cheesesteaks next time and when we did that a few weeks ago, it was a BIG hit. That requires a team of six, so if anyone has some freetime and wants in, FReep mail me and keep you informed.
God Bless you one and all for your giving in such trying times. May you all be rewarded ten fold with health and happiness.
Big D.C. Chapter Ping for a great show with the help of our own Sensie Ern and Doctor Raoul, and Mike Sparling, Josh Sparling’s dad.
Kudos for putting on such a wonderful event for our wounded troops.
A bike Crash! OH NO!
sore /injured legs, road rash, hurt pride, broken bike.. JOIN THE CLUB.you are in GREAT company including POTUS & yours truly.
A biker always knows that it is NOT “if I fall” but how often & how seriously.
Absolutely wonderful work for the show. Thank you so much & also for sharing the thread.
Heal fast FReeper FRiend!
Thank you. Were it not for the Friday Night FReeps at Walter Reed’s main gate, I would have never thought something like this was possible, let alone welcomed by the soldiers.
DC Chapter ROCKS!
I would settle for a pair of crutches.
And thanks also, to Doctor Raoul, for traveling such a long distance with a car packed full of Phillie hoagies, and not busting into the stash on the ride. Now, that's torture!
And thanks also, to the great performers who gave their time (and hearts) to entertain the troops. You guys have hearts of gold!
And finally, thanks to all the generous Freepers who have made donations to cover the costs involved in feeding our wounded heroes.
I love you guys!
And...
OUR TROOPS ROCK!!
Third time in my life I wiped out. First time was on my Honda 400 in 1984.
Next, this bike spring 2007. Hit a patch of ice mixed with oil as I came to a stop.
This time, wither my front wheel locked up or I hits loose pavement...there was a 3 inch bump in the road...and the back wheel slipped out from under me.
Still, I love my motorcycle, and still prefer it over a car.
BRAVO!! BRAVO!!
Let’s see the Anti-America & Anti-TROOP LEFT-like the PELOSI’s List THEIR “...showing their SUPPORT for the TROOPS “ List of things THEY OR their Sorros Backed Groups have done FOR the Troops! Except..
...trying to DE-Fund them- CUT BACK their Equip/Supplies/Arms or Distroy their Moral and Reputations!!
(Liberals and Dems wouldn’t even know which END of the Flag to HOLD in the first place since the only time THEY hold one is when they are trying to lite it on Fire or drag it in the mud or Take their FLAG PINS OFF Their Lapels BEFORE appearing publically!)
God Bless Folks-from an Old Dog
DA
I know something like this takes a lot of logistics (and cooperative motorcycles) so thanks for doing this for our heroes. Let us know, “doc”, how long it takes to get the hoagie smell out of your vehicle. :-) Also let me know the next time you decide to truck in supplies from Philadelphia; I might be able to help.
Sounds like it was a good show!
LOL, the last cooler was on the front passenger seat. And reflexively I'd open the lid every few miles and take a deep breath.
Doc, I truthfully have never tasted hoagies as good as those before.
I remember my mom getting hoagies from KMart, when I was a kid, and the hoagies in school lunches. I had no idea a hoagies could actually be as tasty as the ones you brought.
Ideas for next time, if we grill, meatball and bacon kabobs (don't laugh, had them at a truck stop and they're good), little coctail franks on a small stick (different and for the kids), Polish sausage, Italian sausage (with peppers and onions).
If we don't grill, nachos (with cheese, chill, onions, salsa, etc) roast beef sandwiches, and if we can set it up on a night the Babpist Church has a fish/chicken/ribs fry/dinner, maybe we "contract out" to them. Go across the street and bring it back.
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