July, 2010 - The American Legion Riders District 4 Colorado worked the Air Display and Motorcycle show at the Loveland/ Fort Collins Air Port July 9, 10, and 11. This Air display was a big success as over 5,000 people went through the gates on Saturday alone.
Friday evening there was a "USO" Dance in the hangar and the P-51 Mustang was parked in the west end of the hangar. Cindy Daum and friends were our guests on Friday evening for the dinner and dance. The band was terrific.
The Legion Riders presented the colors on Saturday and Sunday. Presenting the colors were Robb Smith and Tony Abbott both of Legion Post 15 Loveland, Barbara Day and Tim Sons both of Legion Post 1985 and Darla Ruiz from Legion Post 10 Boulder. These members did the best presentation of colors you could imagine. The crowd showed their pride with a huge round of applause.
The aircraft on display included the last flying B-24 Bomber in the world and a B-17 Bomber and a P-51 fighter plane. Barb Day, Tim Sons, Jim Stone and Joel Lane from Legion post 1985 did security and past Commander Roger London entered his motorcycle in the show and was given honorable mention. The B-17 and B-24 Bombers and the P-51 fighter were giving rides early and after the show each day. The first place motorcycles in the vintage and custom each received a ride in the bombers on Sunday evening at 5:00 pm.
Roland Siebold won third place in the vintage class with his motorcycle. We had several members from posts 10, 15, 32, 111 and 1985 who all helped make this event a success. Post 10 members were, Howard Shackett, Glenn Goyer, Dana Hessel, Marty Covey, Wylie and Mary Burnett, Marty Covey, Tina Coyle, Jeff and Darla Ruiz, Mitch Shotts, Perry Smith and Crystal Hedke. I hope I didn't leave anyone out. Security volunteer Glenn Goyer from Post 10 won a ride in a B-17 on Monday from Loveland to Salina Kansas.
Teresa Anderson and Jim Vanderpool were among the many volunteers who drove carts giving rides to people from their cars to the gate and back. I received a ride on the B-24 on Monday from Loveland to Salina Kansas. For publicity purposes the Bombers flew only 1,000 feet above ground the entire way so people on the ground could see the planes. The weather and scenery was perfect. This was a ride of a lifetime. I want to thank all the volunteers who made this event the success it was.
-Jerry Hedke, President American Legion Riders