(Beaver Dam) The Patriot tour is set to return to Beaver Dam this Saturday. The non-profit Nation of Patriots coordinates the fundraising journey that sees a series of flag-bearers carry one American flag by motorcycle, city-to-city, through all 48 contiguous states. During last Friday’s Community Comment, founder Bill Sherer told us about one of the same challenges that pops up year-after-year. While the flag has never been misplaced during the four-month journey, the same cannot be said for the flagpole. He says he does not have a good explanation but it could be because some riders like to use their own equipment.
Sherer says it takes some hard-nosed investigative work to find the missing flag pole. He says organizers will scour through Facebook, hoping to find the last place the pole was seen in a photo that was uploaded to the social media site. Once found, Sherer says they contact a shipping company and try to figure out the best way to send the pole to the riders in another state.
Sherer says the flag pole has been with the Patriot Tour throughout its ten-year history. He says the pole was designed by a Beaver Dam-native and is sturdier than an oak tree.
The Patriot Tour return ceremony will be at the Beaver Dam’s Swan Park this Saturday. A motorcycle parade will begin at noon on Madison Street, to Front Street then on to University Avenue. The Patriot Tour is hoping to surpass the one-million-dollar mark in money raised for veterans over the past ten years.
