OFF THE WIRE
http://www.swvatoday.com/news/article/run_for_the_wall_coming_to_town/7549/**
Run for the Wall coming to town* By Mark Sage Published: May 25, 2010
By WAYNE QUESENBERRY/Staff
Wytheville Mayor Trent Crewe will accompany
several hundred motorcyclists to town Wednesday afternoon as part of the annual
Run for the Wall. He left Tuesday for Knoxville, Tenn., to join 500 other riders
on one of two routes to Washington, D.C., for the Rolling Thunder Parade this
Sunday. The bikers, mostly military veterans, are riding from California to the
Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington, D.C., as part of the event. Several
local motorcyclists rode to California to join the group and will come back home
with them. The Run for the Wall began in 1989 by two Vietnam veterans who
traveled across the country on motorcycles to raise awareness of the thousands
of men and women still unaccounted for from all U.S. wars. They appeared on
television and were interviewed by reporters from radio and newspapers. Crewe
told Wytheville Town Council at Monday evening’s meeting he wasn’t sure how many
of the bikers would stop in town Wednesday. He did say he expects several
hundred to participate in local activities Wednesday evening and Thursday
morning. The mayor and other motorcyclists are expected to arrive in Wytheville
on Fourth Street around 4 p.m. Wednesday and stop at Withers Park. A welcome
ceremony will be held soon after their arrival. On Thursday, the students at
Spiller Elementary School will present a musical program for the group at 9 a.m.
at Withers Park. The riders will leave the park by Main Street at 10 a.m. Crewe
encouraged those attending the council meeting to show support by welcoming the
riders to town. He also extended an invitation to everyone to attend the
ceremonies and extend a welcome to the bikers. Run for the Wall organizers
estimate that 350,000 motorcyclists will parade through downtown Washington and
end their journey at the Wall. In other action Monday night, town council
approved a resolution for the transfer of the telecable franchise from
JetBroadband to Shentel Cable. Council agreed to negotiate several changes
later. At council’s request, William R. Young, business development consultant
for Shentel Cable, attended Monday’s session to answer any questions council
members or the public might have. He assured them the new cable system would be
state-of-the-art and provide better reception. “Our engineers will test the
system and make any repairs,” Young stated. “We will rebuild quite a bit of it.”
Crewe noted JetBroadband had provided free service to the public schools in
town, the library and some of the town’s buildings. He inquired about adding the
visitor’s center and new community center to the agreement. Young said he didn’t
see a problem with the request. Amendments to the town’s franchise agreement, he
stated, can be added.
