Run For The Wall is a motorcycle ride from Los Angeles, CA to Washington DC to remind the nation of our POW / MIA’s of all wars with a desire to bring healing to many of the veterans who served our country.
The photo to the left is that of Bishop Gary Burd on his Harley-Davidson motorcycle.
When we arrive in Washington DC, we go to the wall and support those who may be visiting the Wall for the first time, wrote Bishop Gary Burd. It is a very emotional time as they look for buddies on the wall, reflect on those events of their life and process some of the "hidden" feelings that will come up. We then join with Rolling Thunder, an estimated group of 725,000 to 750,000 bikes on the Pentagon parking lot on the Sunday of Memorial weekend and ride to the wall, taking four to five hours.
As we cross the country there will be special services at war memorial sights, special meals and programs sponsored by local civic groups, entire communities and schools that will be an aid to the healing of these veterans, bring the community together to express it’s appreciation and to expose the children to part of the cost of the freedom they enjoy. There are ceremonies on many days before we leave, during lunch and at the end of the day that are special events for all to enjoy. We also stop at Veteran’s Hospitals along the way and visit, encourage and pray with the men and women hospitalized.
Mission: M25 is participating for the sixth year in Run For The Wall. This year we will provide the Advance Vehicle (driven by David Moore, National Royal Ranger Commander) that will carry the finance committee and supplies to setup for our arrival; the driver for the Merchandise Trailer (M25 Minister, Rod Steele); one of the Chase Vehicles (driven by M25minister, Danny Stewart with the task of picking up fallen rider’s bikes and rider plus broken down bikes); Hydration Trailer with two Chaplains and two additional workers. There are seven men and one woman who will be Chaplains this year, Gary Burd, Mission:M25 Director will be Senior Chaplain and we will provide the Missing Man Chaplain;Emergency Chaplain and Platoon Chaplains. To the best of our knowledge we will have the first active duty Chaplain on the run this year, Chaplain Tim Moore, Navy will travel the entire trip with us, speaking during the Sunday morning service which we believe will be a great blessing to the men and women. We are praying the Lord will give him the message that will touch their hearts and promote spiritual healing. We also have Keith O’Neal coming for the Sunday service to sing and play a song he has written just for the veterans.
Our HydrationTrailer was a God inspired idea by Mission:M25 to serve Run For The Wall and was an answer to Route Coordinator, Nine Ball’s prayer five years ago. It carries water, sport drink and snacks for the men and women as we cross the nation. We have been told by several that the free hydration has allowed them to go all the way, due to the money it saves. We handle somewhere between 10,000 and 12,000 bottles of hydration. On the back of the trailer we have a banner that simply states, "These Churches Thank You For Serving" to promote the church’s thanks to the veteran. Participating churches and ministries donate to have their name on the banner, this is how we fund Mission:M25’s efforts.This year we will have a “In Honor of . . . or In Memory of . . ." place on the banner. We invite all ministries and churches (of all denominations) to assist us.
When we arrive in Washington DC we are joined by churches, Parkway Christian Center of Chesapeake, VA, at Fairfax Lake and Cross Roads of Petersburg, VA, at Burke Lake to serve free meals as we await the Rolling Thunder ride. It has served to build some lasting and healing relationships.
Mission:M25 got involved due to a broken heart for the veteran as we stood by the roadside as the Westboro, KS church stood with signs that stated, “God Hates America” and“Thank God for IED’s”, etc. They were screaming "American fags coming home inbody bags" – this was the ONLY church outside the four walls and were the only voice these men and women were hearing. I so appreciate all the churches do for the veterans and soldiers inside the church but we take the "THANKS" to them where they are.
Finally, we are busy all year long serving the veterans and current military men and women by going to the airports with signs that state, "Churches of America thank you for serving.” We attend many funeral services and escort the body to and from the funeral home and cemetery. This past year, Mission:M25 was broken but honored to escort a young pilot from Dover, Delaware to the Arlington Cemetery.
Our budget for Run For The Wall is $25,000 to take a team of motorcycles, trucks and trailers, and men and women across the nation. Mission: M25 provides lodging, fuel and the food that the communities don’t provide across the nation.
To contriubute you may contact Bishop Gary Burd
Make out your check or money order to Mission:25 Run for the Wall
Great Plains Conference
% Bishop Gary Burd
P.O. Box 31267
Amarillo, TX 79120
(806) 376-8715 ofc; (806) 376-4639 fax
Gary Burd, Superintendent: gburd@arn.net
Posted on
Wed, March 10, 2010
by Hugh Morgan