thedrifter
07-29-07, 08:31 AM
Motorcycles roar to honor soldier, raise funds
Originally published July 29, 2007
By Gina Gallucci
News-Post Staff
While there was hardly a cloud in the sky Saturday morning, thunder could be heard coming from the parking lot of Belles' Sports Bar & Grille on East Patrick Street.
The booming was from hundreds of bikers revving the engines of their motorcycles before embarking on the U.S. Marine Lance Cpl. James W. Higgins Jr. Memorial Poker Run.
Friday marked the year anniversary of his death. Higgins, 22, of Thurmont, was shot at 4:23 a.m. Eastern Standard Time on July 27, 2006 while conducting combat operations in the Al Anbar province of Iraq. He succumbed to his injuries three hours later.
From 4:15 to 7:30 a.m. on Friday, James' mother, Debbie Higgins sat by her son's grave at the Resthaven Memorial Gardens.
"I have this feeling that I have to be there," she said in an interview Thursday.
In his last phone conversation to his mother, James expressed a desire to honor service members who fought conflicts since the Vietnam War.
Since his death, Higgins has decided to carry out her son's wish and raise funds to build The National Fallen Heroes Memorial in Frederick. The poker run was part of that effort.
"He asked me to help him do this," Higgins said. "It was his dream. I have to do it. I can't let him down."
The poker run took about three months to plan and Belles' Sports Bar & Grille was the first stop. The event began at 10 a.m. By 10:45 a.m., there was still a line of people waiting to sign up to participate that stretched outside the bar's front doors.
"It's great," Higgins said Saturday. "It's wonderful to have the support."
While many of the vehicles participating in the run had Marines stickers and American flags decorating them, a special Higgins bike pays tribute to James.
Chris Nicholson of Frederick's Toxic Art took three weeks to airbrush pictures of James on the 2004 Harley Davidson motorcycle.
The pictures include James smiling while wearing sunglasses in Iraq and giving Iraqi children candy. The bike has also been adorned with the awards that James received while serving.
The motorcycle is dedicated to James and his memory, Nicholson said.
About 11:30 a.m., everyone got on their bikes on the way to the next stop, the Thurmont AMVETS.
Participants took a side trip while making their way north on U.S. 15 to Resthaven Memorial Gardens to drive by James' grave. Cadets with the Frederick Composite Squadron of the Civil Air Patrol stood by the grave saluting him.
From Thurmont, the group continued to The Pike Restaurant and Lounge in Gettysburg, Pa., Blondie's and Rolling Mill Tavern in Rouzerville, Pa., and finished at the Dogpatch Tavern in Boonsboro.
Each stop is about 20 miles apart and the group spent about a half an hour to an hour at each location. A playing card was drawn at each spot to create a poker hand.
Higgins expected at least 500 people to participate in parts of the run. She hoped the event would raise about $50,000 for the memorial fund.
The memorial will cost about $17 million and spread across about an acre and a half of land that has been donated by Resthaven Memorial Gardens -- which has two Veteran Gardens of Honor. About 2,000 veterans from World War I to the Iraq War and their spouses have their final resting place in the gardens.
Richard Cody, president of Resthaven Memorial Gardens, said Resthaven was more than happy to help Higgins in any way.
"It just simply is the right thing to do," said Jonathan Cody, vice president of operations at Resthaven Memorial Gardens.
Earlier this month, Resthaven Memorial Gardens and Resthaven Funeral Services put out a challenge to other businesses to match a $3,000 donation to the fund. The businesses will benefit from the additional tourism from the memorial and by the community coming together to raise the money. It will say a lot about the people of Frederick County, Jonathan Cody said.
"It is the absolute perfect spot," Higgins said of the site. "Frederick County is one of the most beautiful settings in the world. ... Where better to have it than Frederick County?"
Higgins hopes construction on the memorial will start April 11. The date is special to the Higgins family because it is when James joined the military.
She met with members of the Frederick County Planning and Zoning Commission this week about deciding on an exact location for the memorial.
Ellie
Originally published July 29, 2007
By Gina Gallucci
News-Post Staff
While there was hardly a cloud in the sky Saturday morning, thunder could be heard coming from the parking lot of Belles' Sports Bar & Grille on East Patrick Street.
The booming was from hundreds of bikers revving the engines of their motorcycles before embarking on the U.S. Marine Lance Cpl. James W. Higgins Jr. Memorial Poker Run.
Friday marked the year anniversary of his death. Higgins, 22, of Thurmont, was shot at 4:23 a.m. Eastern Standard Time on July 27, 2006 while conducting combat operations in the Al Anbar province of Iraq. He succumbed to his injuries three hours later.
From 4:15 to 7:30 a.m. on Friday, James' mother, Debbie Higgins sat by her son's grave at the Resthaven Memorial Gardens.
"I have this feeling that I have to be there," she said in an interview Thursday.
In his last phone conversation to his mother, James expressed a desire to honor service members who fought conflicts since the Vietnam War.
Since his death, Higgins has decided to carry out her son's wish and raise funds to build The National Fallen Heroes Memorial in Frederick. The poker run was part of that effort.
"He asked me to help him do this," Higgins said. "It was his dream. I have to do it. I can't let him down."
The poker run took about three months to plan and Belles' Sports Bar & Grille was the first stop. The event began at 10 a.m. By 10:45 a.m., there was still a line of people waiting to sign up to participate that stretched outside the bar's front doors.
"It's great," Higgins said Saturday. "It's wonderful to have the support."
While many of the vehicles participating in the run had Marines stickers and American flags decorating them, a special Higgins bike pays tribute to James.
Chris Nicholson of Frederick's Toxic Art took three weeks to airbrush pictures of James on the 2004 Harley Davidson motorcycle.
The pictures include James smiling while wearing sunglasses in Iraq and giving Iraqi children candy. The bike has also been adorned with the awards that James received while serving.
The motorcycle is dedicated to James and his memory, Nicholson said.
About 11:30 a.m., everyone got on their bikes on the way to the next stop, the Thurmont AMVETS.
Participants took a side trip while making their way north on U.S. 15 to Resthaven Memorial Gardens to drive by James' grave. Cadets with the Frederick Composite Squadron of the Civil Air Patrol stood by the grave saluting him.
From Thurmont, the group continued to The Pike Restaurant and Lounge in Gettysburg, Pa., Blondie's and Rolling Mill Tavern in Rouzerville, Pa., and finished at the Dogpatch Tavern in Boonsboro.
Each stop is about 20 miles apart and the group spent about a half an hour to an hour at each location. A playing card was drawn at each spot to create a poker hand.
Higgins expected at least 500 people to participate in parts of the run. She hoped the event would raise about $50,000 for the memorial fund.
The memorial will cost about $17 million and spread across about an acre and a half of land that has been donated by Resthaven Memorial Gardens -- which has two Veteran Gardens of Honor. About 2,000 veterans from World War I to the Iraq War and their spouses have their final resting place in the gardens.
Richard Cody, president of Resthaven Memorial Gardens, said Resthaven was more than happy to help Higgins in any way.
"It just simply is the right thing to do," said Jonathan Cody, vice president of operations at Resthaven Memorial Gardens.
Earlier this month, Resthaven Memorial Gardens and Resthaven Funeral Services put out a challenge to other businesses to match a $3,000 donation to the fund. The businesses will benefit from the additional tourism from the memorial and by the community coming together to raise the money. It will say a lot about the people of Frederick County, Jonathan Cody said.
"It is the absolute perfect spot," Higgins said of the site. "Frederick County is one of the most beautiful settings in the world. ... Where better to have it than Frederick County?"
Higgins hopes construction on the memorial will start April 11. The date is special to the Higgins family because it is when James joined the military.
She met with members of the Frederick County Planning and Zoning Commission this week about deciding on an exact location for the memorial.
Ellie