Update 26 Apr 07 1157cdt Aranel

Two more items RE: Itinerary for PFC Slater:

First, we need to change the time of the staging prior to the visition on Saturday night. We should meet at 4:45 for a BRIEF information session. We will leave the Sam's Club Parking lot at 5:00 PM.

Secondly, I should reiterate that there WILL be a procession to the gravesite. In my first post, the information I had was that there would not be a procession. That has changed. I just wanted to stress this so everyone could make an informed decision on whether or not to ride two wheels or four.

WEATHER FORECAST FOR SATURDAY AND SUNDAY: (Copied from the Weather.com website)


Sat
Apr 28 Few Showers
68°/49° 30%
68°F

Sun
Apr 29 Partly Cloudy
71°/49° 10%
71°F

Thank you for your support.

Barry Bledsoe RC
Fairmont, WV
304-692-6900

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UPDATE ON ITiNERARY for PFC Michael Slater:

I will be meeting with the funeral home director around 4:00 on Saturday to get a visual on the layout of the area and the cemetary site. If there are any changes to the information following, I will advise at the staging area on Sunday.

Funeral visitation hours are from 6:00 to 8:00 PM on Saturday April 28th. We will be present the PGR plaque to the family at that time, on the advice of SGM Becher. Other than that short time inside, we will be providing honor guard outside of the funeral home from 6:00 to 8:00.

The funeral is scheduled for 2:30 PM on Sunday April, 29th. The funeral home is at the same location as the cemetary. However, there WILL be a short procession, as the actual gravesite is too far to walk.

The staging area will be at a Sam's Club parking lot, which is just off of Exit 48 on I-64. The Sam's Club is closed so we will have plenty of room, and should have no problems. I am currently in contact with a Lt. from the Kanawha County Sheriffs Dept. to make sure we follow all local regs, and possibly get an escort from Sams to the funeral home.

We will stage at 11:00 AM, with kickstands up at 12:15 to ride to the funeral home. I will know more about parking at the funeral home on Saturday, but according to the director, we will probably ride just past the chapel, and angle park, headed toward the gravesite. It is unknown yet whether we will lead or follow the procession.

I will also meet anyone who wants to attend the visitation on Saturday, at the same Sam's Club. We will leave the Sam's Club at 5:30. If anyone misses the departure time, follow Rt. 622 and CROSS OVER I-64, then the directions are the same as previously posted.

LASTLY...I made ONE mistake in the previous post with directions. I got my East and West backwards. If you are headed EAST on I-68, (from KY and Huntington), take EXIT 47A. When getting off of the exit, turn RIGHT to get to the Sam's Club. From Charleston, take EXIT 47 and turn LEFT to get to the Sam's Club.

This is all of the information that I have available now. I will post further as I get more. If you need to, feel free to call me at 304-692-6900 for more info or questions.

Thanks.
Barry Bledsoe RC
Fairmont, WV

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************ADDITIONAL LODGING INFORMATION****************    Two additional motels, in Cross Lanes, have graciously offered discounted room rates to PGR members attending this Mission of Honor.       1.) Motel 6, 330 Goff Mountain Road, Cross Lanes, is offering rooms at $41.39 plus tax for Saturday night.  Call (304) 776-5911 for reservations, specifying you're with the Patriot     Guard Riders.  For directions, go to: http://tinyurl.com/2yfq4s       2.) EconoLodge, 4115 1st Ave., Nitro, WV, located 2 miles from Cross Lanes, is offering rooms with 2 dbl beds for $48.99 or with 2 queen beds for $52.99 per night, plus tax.  Currently, they have 22 rooms remaining.  For reservations, call (304) 755-8341 and, again, specify you're with the Patriot Guard Riders.  As a sidenote, the manager states all her family is motorcycle enthusiasts and she currently has a cousin on his second tour in the Sandbox, doing covert operations.  Unfortunately, she states his family has not heard from him "in quite some time, now".  For directions, go to: http://tinyurl.com/2cw3j8    Continue watching this thread for staging times and locations.  These should be forthcoming later today.    Thank you for your continued diligence and support of Michael and his family. Respects, Joe

Then join hand in hand, brave Americans all! By uniting we stand, by dividing we fall. ~John Dickinson "This nation will remain the land of the free only so long as it is the home of the brave." Elmer Davis Joe Cumblidge West Virginia State Captain UOV HOG Chapter RM1 USCG 1969-78 Montani semper liberi (Mountaineers are always free)

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Updated 25 Apr 07  1901 edt  S Sturgis

We now have a confirmed mission for Pfc. Slater.  The family has given PGR permission to attend their fallen hero's services.  Tentatively, it will be this Saturday and Sunday.  Details will follow later this evening.  Please watch this thread very closely as this will happen very quickly.

IMMEDIATE RELEASE

No. 472-07 April 23, 2007

DoD Identifies Army Casualty The Department of Defense announced today the death of a soldier who was supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom. Pvt. Michael J. Slater, 19, of Scott Depot, W. Va., died Apr. 21 in Taji, Iraq, of wounds suffered when his vehicle rolled over during combat operations. Slater was assigned to the 407th Brigade Support Battalion, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division, Fort Bragg, N.C. For more information in regard to this release the media can contact the 82nd Airborne Division public affairs office at (910) 432-0661.