Community to welcome veterans to Wheelers for the Wounded
FROM STAFF REPORTS
SMITHWICK — Hundreds of military servicemen and women and their families from Fort Hood in Killeen, Lackland Air Force Base and Brooke Army Medical Center, both in San Antonio, will arrive in the Highland Lakes on May 3 for the annual Wheelers for the Wounded event.
Organizers invite the public to line the intersection of U.S. 281 and RR 1431 with patriotic signs and flags to welcome them to the area as they go through Marble Falls on their way to Smithwick and the Hidden Falls Adventure Park, 7030 RR 1431, about seven miles east of Marble Falls.
The processions with a motorcycle escort are expected from the north on U.S. 281 about 10 a.m. May 3 and from the south on the highway about 10:30 a.m.
“It’s great to be out with flags to show your respect and honor for what they have sacrificed for us,” said Jean Eades of the Marble Falls/Lake LBJ Chamber of Commerce. “They appreciate it so much. They’re grateful for everything we do for them.”
In its seventh year, the event launches with a reception, a posting of the colors, a meal and off-roading and culminates with a concert by country music artist Tracy Byrd.
Volunteer drivers will take the soldiers and families on off-road tours with access to a large portion of the park.
Some of the trails are similar to ranch or Jeep trails for “easier” rides. The park features more than 200 miles of trails, some designated for all-terrain vehicles and motorcycles.
But many of vehicles are specially designed as rock crawlers, which allows them to negotiate large obstacles and extreme angles.
Volunteers include chamber members, the Purple Heart Chapter 1919 of Austin and the Highland Lakes Service League.
“We are a lot larger than we have been in the past years,” Eades said. “It helps them with their state of mind. It helps them forget about their problems for awhile.”
Go to www.hiddenfallsadventurepark.com for more information.
editor@thepicayune.com