Three Phoenix Feathers Floating Free

Every once in awhile I encounter a current event story that makes me regret that I let lapse my Phoenix Feather Project from my early blogging years in which I aimed to occasionally feature an individual or organization whose action or mission was dedicated to 'rising from the ashes'.

In the case of individuals they could be honored for either rising from the ashes of their personal  setback or trauma or aiding and abetting another's rise.  That was my intent anyway tho I don't think I ever did honor an individual.  My previous honorees can be found somewhere deep in the left sidebar. The only one I can remember without peeking is Mercy Corp but I can't remember which disaster was in the news at the time.

The story that has inspired this post and has me feeling called to revive my Phoenix Feathers, if only for this one event, is one in which there would need to be three honorees:

• the individual rising from the ashes--literally--of a mine blast that took half his leg in Afganistan
• the non-profit organization with a mission to help vets
• the business that joined with the organization to fulfill the dream of one wounded vet

The organization is Run for the Wall, known for their annual ten day cross country motorcycle caravan to the Vietnam Memorial in Washington DC every Memorial Day.

Their new Wounded Warrior project aspires to present custom built motorcycles to wounded vets that will give them back mobility and independence and thus hope and confidence..

The business is Rogue Valley OR Thunder Struck Custom Bikes.

Yes the same Rogue Valley from which I'm reluctantly torn and yearn to return.  But that's another story and has monopolized enough of this blog for nearly a year now.

The individual is Retired Staff Sergeant Charlie Linville of Idaho who has long dreamed of owning a motorcycle and is now the first recipient of the Wounded Warrior custom bike gift.

Last Thursday, January 2nd,  Run for the Wall flew Linville and his wife to Medford OR where the Rogue Valley Chapter presented the bike to him at the Thunderstruck shop and measurements were taken for the custom fittings.

It will be several more months before the custom build is complete but Sargent Linville is already riding high on the hope and the 'giddy' joy of having received this lift up out of the ashes.

Anyone wishing to contribute to the Bike Build can send their donations (marked Bike Build) to:

Ken Hargrove
1715 N. 3rd Avenue
Upland, CA 91784

All funds so marked will be used exclusively for the Bike Build.

Watch the local coverage on ABC's KDRV 12 in Medford:



For more coverage see the story at:

• KOBI NBC
• KTLV NEWS 10