Dear motorcyclists, friends of Veterans and supporters of our Troops,

For the sixth consecutive year, the members of American Veterans (AMVETS) Tamburri Post 917 of Staten Island will be hosting several Wounded Heroes on a weekend in May here in Staten Island. This mission is now traditionally called Staten Island Welcomes Our Heroes (SIWOH). The Heroes are treated like the special people they are and given a taste of New York for the weekend. The mission is to honor their service to our country, to thank them for their defense of freedom, and to acknowledge the sacrifices they and their family members have made. The Heroes will be arriving on Saturday May 3 and departing on Monday May 5. Bob Tamburri, the Event Chairman has again asked me to plan, organize, coordinate and conduct a motorcycle escort for the arrival of the Heroes on Saturday. You are cordially invited to be a member of this strong and proud escort.

The Heroes will be transported in several vans and one or more SUV’s provided by the United States Coast Guard. Their scheduled departure time from Walter Reed National Military Medical Center in Bethesda, Maryland is 8:30 AM.

The Heroes will be staying at the Hilton Garden Inn, 1100 South Avenue, Staten Island, NY 10314.

The route up is I-95, NJ Turnpike, Exit 10 toward Staten Island, Outerbridge Crossing, Korean War Veterans Highway, Richmond Avenue, Travis Avenue and South Avenue to the Commons Café in the Teleport. The route will enable Staten Islanders to stand along the roadside near the Staten Island Mall and help welcome these Heroes when they arrive as they have done in the past.

There will be two motorcycle contingents for the May 3 Escort.

The first contingent will ultimately meet the Wounded Heroes on the Delaware side of the Delaware Memorial Bridge. After having gathered at the Clara Barton Service Area, mile marker 5.4 Southbound near the beginning of the turnpike, they will hopefully be escorted by either the Delaware River Bridge Authority (DRBA) Police or the New Jersey State Police to the DRBA Headquarters on the Delaware side of the bridge. They will wait for and meet the convoy in that location. The convoy will make a brief stop for the Heroes’ comfort and also LEO coordination, and then head up the Turnpike.

The second contingent will meet the convoy at the Joyce Kilmer Rest Area, mile marker 78.7 Northbound.

Law Enforcement Support has been coordinated with: the Delaware River Bridge Authority Police Department for escort in both directions across the bridge; the New Jersey State Police for escort on the Turnpike portion; the NY/NJ Port Authority PD for assistance from the Exit 10 Toll Booth across the Outerbridge Crossing; NYPD Highway for escort from the Outerbridge Crossing to the Commons Cafe, and the 123 and 122 Precincts for intersection traffic control on Staten Island. All systems are go at present.

Here is the estimate of the timetable for Saturday 5-3-14:

8:30 AM Convoy departs Walter Reed

10:15 AM Convoy arrives at Delaware River Bridge Authority Headquarters for brief stop, link up with first bike contingent and LEO coordination

10:30 AM Convoy departs toward Turnpike

12:00 PM Convoy arrives at Joyce Kilmer Service Area, short break for Heroes, positioning of second bike contingent and Honor Guard

12:20 PM Convoy departs Joyce Kilmer with all bikes

12:40 PM Convoy exits Turnpike at Exit 10, PAPD and NYPD join convoy in order within their jurisdiction

1:30 PM Convoy arrives at Commons Café on Teleport Drive

The itinerary for the Heroes will be posted soon on the AMVETS Post 917web site which is http://www.post917.com There are links to this year’s flyer as well as
photo coverage of last year’s event on the left hand side of the site.

FINAL STAGING AREAS AND TIMES FOR MOTORCYCLES ON SATURDAY MAY 3:

FIRST CONTINGENT – 9:45 AM – CLARA BARTON SERVICE AREA, SOUTHBOUND NJTP

SECOND CONTINGENT – 11:30 AM – JOYCE KILMER SERVICE AREA, NJTP

THIS IS A RAIN OR SHINE ESCORT AS THESE HEROES FOUGHT RAIN OR SHINE

Organizations and MC’s, please notify me with the location you plan to join the escort and your approximate numbers so I may inform the Law Enforcement Officials of how large this escort will be. Thanks. Last year there were over 300 motorcycles and I told Law Enforcement to expect the same leaving Joyce Kilmer this year.

Please feel free to pass this information on to other motorcycle organizations and friends who you think would want to assist in the escort.

For those of you wishing to depart with the contingents leaving from the Western side of Staten Island, here are the staging areas and times.

STATEN ISLAND STAGING TIMES AND LOCATIONS FOR SATURDAY 3 MAY

CONTINGENT # 1 (Going entire length of the Turnpike to Delaware Memorial Bridge)

Stage at SUNOCO, 1100 Goethals Road North and South Ave, SI
Meet at 7:45 AM
Depart at 8:00 AM

Arrive Clara Barton Service Area, mile marker 5.4 Southbound for fuel and short rest stop
Link up with either DRBAPD or NJ State Troopers for escort across bridge
At approximately 10:00 AM, depart rest area toward DRBA Hqs on Delaware side of bridge.
Wait for convoy at DRBA Hqs
Join convoy when it arrives
Head up Turnpike
Stop at Joyce Kilmer Rest area, mile marker 78.7 Northbound
Link-Up with Contingent # 2
Proceed to Staten Island

CONTINGENT # 2 (Going to Joyce Kilmer Service Area on Turnpike)

Stage at SUNOCO, 1100 Goethals Road North and South Ave
Meet at 10:40 AM
Depart at 10:55 AM

Turnpike South.
Exit at Exit 8A, Jamesburg – Cranbury, mile marker 73.7
Make safe U-Turn
Re-enter Turnpike Northbound
Stop at Joyce Kilmer Service Area, mile marker 78.7
Link up with Convoy when short stop made
Proceed to Staten Island.

IMPORTANT NOTE: Tolls will not be waived at any Toll Plaza. E-Z Pass use will keep you in the formation. Cash paying riders, please catch up safely.

Hope to see you on the May 3 to help show our support for these Heroes. Let’s make them feel like the special Heroes they are with a huge and safe escort.

Very respectfully,

Lee Anderson
Motorcycle Escort Coordinator
2014 SIWOH