Press Release Index
CONTACT: For more information contact: Lt.Col Paul Fanning, 518-7864581 or (cell) 518-441-4016
FOR RELEASE: Saturday, Jun 13, 2009
ON SITE: For more information contact: Lt.Col Paul Fanning, (cell) 518-441-4016

National Guard To Host British Troops At World Trade Center Following Cross County Charity Ride

Media Advisory

WHO:

British service member Jason Lewis, a wounded veteran.; Nick Styles; and their support team Andrew Jones, Peter Taylor and Roy Hunte; and members of the New York National Guard's Joint Task Force Empiere Shield, the Guard's New York City security force.

WHAT:

NEW YORK CITY, NY (06/12/2009)-- Members of the New York National Guard will host members of the Royal Air Force and London Metropolitan Police who are riding bikes across the United States as part of Operation Long Road, an effort to raise funds for Help for Heroes, a British charity on Saturday at Ground Zero. The British team, who left the Santa Monica Pier on the Pacific on May 4 will lay a commemorative wreath.

WHEN:

Liberty Street observation site, World Trade Center, Manhattan

WHERE:

1 p.m. Saturday 13 June 2009

Coverage Opportunities: Imagery of the wreath laying and the opportunity to interview members of the British Team. Background: The team of two bike riders ,and three support staff in a chase vehicle, launched their cross country endurance ride on 4May from the Santa Monica Pier in CA as a fund raiser for British troops who were wounded in Iraq and Afghanistan. One of the bikers, Jason Lewis is a wounded veteran. Called "Operation Long Road," the ride is gathering donations in Great Britain for the "Help for Heroes" charity to aid in improving services and facilities for wounded British warriors. The team is also comprised of Nick Styles, the second rider and medic Roy Hunte referred as a "Physio," mechanic Andrew Jones and driver and policeman Peter Taylor. So far the effort has raised nearly £27,000. The team is taking 40 days to travel the total distance of 3,181 miles. The average distance per day is about 91 miles. For additional information on Operation Long Road consult www.RAFcoasttocoast.co.uk Ending the cross country ride at the World Trade Center commemorates the events and sacrifices of the 9-11, 2001 terrorist attacks and the services that military forces from both the United States and the United Kingdom have performed together since then. The New York National Guard is the only part of America's military team that has served on duty at "Ground Zero" and in Iraq and Afghanistan. Members of the New York National Guard have also served with British forces during deployments overseas. A brief military to military reception at the Liberty Street observation site and a wreath laying ceremony will be followed by a visit to the National Guard armory at Lexington Avenue and 25th Streets. The armory is the historic home of the Fighting 69th Infantry, which served at the World Trade Center in 2001 and has also served in Iraq and Afghanistan. The armory was also used in 2001 for two weeks as a reception center for the families of the missing following the terrorist attacks. The visiting British troops and police officers will receive a tour of the armory and a short briefing. Interested news organizations are welcome to cover the reception and ceremony and can join the team back at the armory immediately following. On site POC from the New York National Guard is Lt. Col. Paul Fanning at (518) 441-4106 cell phone.
© NYS DMNA Press Release:National Guard To Host British Troops At World Trade Center Following Cross County Charity Ride
URL: https://dmna.ny.gov/pressroom/?id=1244822026
54.166.234.171
Page Last Modified: Jul 01, 2013