East Orlando Harley Davidson for Ride to Fight Suicide

UPDATE
A ride for life
PTSD Patrol
Kathie Costos
September 30, 2018

Today my husband and I are celebrating our 34th anniversary. No matter how hard some years were, we had love and fed each other hope. He is the reason I have done this work for the last 36 years. I have seen the darkness but have also seen what brighter days bring.

Yesterday I went out to East Orlando Harley Davidson for Ride to Fight Suicide

All of our lives have been changed in someway by the lose of hope, but none of us are ready to give up this fight for life.

While our lives may be different, the purpose of our lives has become one of restoring hope.

Romans 8:28 King James Version (KJV)

And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.

Suicide is a painful thing for the families left behind. They never find the answers they are looking for. It is always with them, when the person they loved gave up on themselves. Beyond that, they gave up on the people who loved them as well.

The never ending questions of "why didn't they come to me" or "talk to me" or "let me know how much they were hurting" or "why didn't they trust me to listen to them?"

I know those feelings all too well, because it happened in my family. My husband's nephew was also a Vietnam veteran and he committed suicide 18 years ago. I have all those questions still in my head that will never be answered.
read more here

Hundreds of bikers took over roads in Florida...on charity ride!

Today, hundreds of bikers got together to ride from Seminole Harley Davidson in Sanford Florida, to Ace Cafe in downtown Orlando.

The honorees of this year’s run are U.S. Marine Sgt. Steve Tovet and U.S. Navy Corpsman HM1 Kelly Smith.

Veterans "48 Hours" for Homeless Veterans

Veterans Hold 48-Hour Fundraiser For Veterans

News Channel 5

Brandon Marshall

November 24, 2017

LEBANON, Tenn. - Members of the U.S. Military Motorcycle Club in Lebanon and Murfreesboro have been holding a 48-hour-long fundraiser to raise awareness about homeless veterans.

The group has been collecting non-perishable food items, clothes, and monetary donations to help local veterans and people in need this holiday.

The annual fundraiser called "Black Friday Deployment" started four years ago in Murfreesboro to shed light on the challenges that may arise when a military member returns home.

"Veterans still need help, in and out of the service," chapter Vice President Richard Griffin said.

The groups started collecting items at noon on Thanksgiving and will end at noon on Saturday in the two cities. They have slept in tents at night.

Griffin who separated from the military in 1999 after serving five years said no donation is too small.

In Lebanon, money will go towards Fallen Soldiers March which collects funds to provide service dogs for veterans with PTSD. Clothes collected in Murfreesboro go towards Operation Stand Down.
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Central Florida Leathernecks Poker Run for ADL Service Dogs

Saturday I was out at Seminole Harley Davidson for a poker fun sponsored by Central Florida Leathernecks for ADL Service Dogs. Donna Neff is paring a PTSD veteran with his own service dog to help him heal. As you know, service dogs are absolutely wonderful!

Donna Neff of ADL Service Dogs

Loved the ladies room!

Two of my buddy babies...since I'm old enough to be their Mom...and act like it too!