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I heard about the Americans United Flag Run from our good friends Les and Evi
Jones Saturday, October 20. My husband, Brad, and I were so excited about it.
I also told my mother, Vicki, about it because I knew she would definitely be
interested. Evi told me that her and Les were watching national news and
across the bottom of the screen was information about the flag run across
America. She immediately went to her computer and brought the web site up to
get information. Evi was ecstatic when she realized that the run would be
going through Oxford, Alabama (20 minutes from our home town). She
immediately signed her and Les up.
The Flag Run coordinators listed Evi and Les as the "primary runners". Brad,
my mom, and I were extra runners. We were responsible for running from the
Oxford mall to Eastaboga. Which is about 12 miles. Our designated time was
6:00 p.m. on Sunday, October 21.
We arrived at the Oxford mall at 5:00 p.m. We waited in the parking lot for
about 30 minutes and decided to drive toward Heflin (the direction where the
runners would be coming from). We were so anxious we couldn't sit still! We
drove about 10 miles and there they were! In front of the runners was a state
trooper and behind the runners were an R.V., a shuttle, and another state
trooper. Since they were running behind schedule we decided to drive behind
the shuttles. Soon the caravan pulled over to the side of the road to let
traffic pass. Evi and I jumped out of the car to ask the two runners if they
needed some backup. They said they didn't and would make it to the Oxford
mall.
As we pulled into the mall parking lot, there were church groups waiting to
cheer us on and show their support for America. There were so many people
with cameras taking pictures of the runners and the flag. Evi and I could
hardly wait to start our run. Our adrenalin was really pumping. As we began
our run, it was such a great feeling that we had a part in this once in a
life -time experience. And it was such an honor to do something for our
country. There are no words to express the way I felt when I touched the
flag. I thought about how far the flag had already traveled and all the
people who had carried it and would carry it. It was such an honor and
privilege to be part of such an inspiring event. I thought about all the
victims of September 11 and the brave military men out there fighting for our
country. I am so thankful for those brave men.
Brad, Les, and my mother also took their part in the run. Les served in the
United States Army for 28 years and was very excited to be a part of the flag
run. It was during his tour of duty in Germany in 1960 that he met his wife
Evi. She was extremely proud to carry the flag and is forever grateful to the
American Soldier that came in WWII and rescued them from Adolf Hitler. Les
held the flag high as he ran with it. It was so inspiring to watch Les run
with the flag. My mother and Brad also held the flag high as they ran with
it. We were so proud to show our support and love for our country. We had a
great time
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