<font color='black' size='2' face='arial'>
<div></div>
<div style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal align=center><FONT size=3 face="Times New Roman">Congratulations on a Job Well Done</FONT></div>
<div style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" /><o:p><FONT size=3 face="Times New Roman"> </FONT></o:p></div>
<div style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><FONT size=3><FONT face="Times New Roman">Whomever the person was that said “Never does a man stand so tall as when he stoops to help a child”, must have been watching the motorcycle riders this week.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN></FONT></FONT></div>
<div style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><o:p><FONT size=3 face="Times New Roman"> </FONT></o:p></div>
<div style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><FONT size=3 face="Times New Roman">Now standing taller are the Patriot Guard Riders, the many local riders and all the support people who had the opportunity to spend some time with the Snowball Express. This organization brought to Dallas-Fort Worth, almost 1800 children who have lost a parent in the War sense 9-11-2001.</FONT></div>
<div style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><o:p><FONT size=3 face="Times New Roman"> </FONT></o:p></div>
<div style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><FONT size=3 face="Times New Roman">Trying to find the right words to express the many thanks each of you deserves are well beyond me. Know that each of you should hold a lot of pride within your heart for what you accomplished this week with these children. Christmas is a time of year for giving and sharing and each of you gave these children a smile on their face and shared the gift of Love with each child. </FONT></div>
<div style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><o:p><FONT size=3 face="Times New Roman"> </FONT></o:p></div>
<div style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><FONT size=3><FONT face="Times New Roman">Talking with the kids and knowing they understand more than most what sacrifice and true sharing is all about, it brought a lot of tears to the eyes to a lot of big bikers. <SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN></FONT></FONT></div>
<div style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><o:p><FONT size=3 face="Times New Roman"> </FONT></o:p></div>
<div style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><FONT size=3 face="Times New Roman">Those of you who may not have had the opportunity to get involved with Snowball Express this year can start planning on next years events.</FONT></div>
<div style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><o:p><FONT size=3 face="Times New Roman"> </FONT></o:p></div>
<div style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><FONT size=3 face="Times New Roman">My hat is off to the 87 riders who showed up on the first day for the multiple round trips to escort the Snowball Express from <?xml:namespace prefix = st1 ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" /><st1:PlaceName w:st="on">DFW</st1:PlaceName> <st1:PlaceType w:st="on">Airport</st1:PlaceType> to the many Hotels in downtown <?xml:namespace prefix = st2 ns = "urn:schemas:contacts" /><st2:Sn w:st="on"><st1:City w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Dallas</st1:place></st1:City></st2:Sn>. It took a lot of heart to leave your warm home in the dark and brave a 16 degree wind chill. However,<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>I know each of you soon realized it was well worth it when you were paid with a big smile and a wave from a <SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>happy child.</FONT></div>
<div style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><o:p><FONT size=3 face="Times New Roman"> </FONT></o:p></div>
<div style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><FONT size=3 face="Times New Roman">The second day found groups of riders working their way around early morning downtown <st2:Sn w:st="on"><st1:City w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Dallas</st1:place></st1:City></st2:Sn> traffic to get to the assigned hotels for the escorts to South Fork Ranch. </FONT></div>
<div style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><FONT size=3 face="Times New Roman">This also proved to be a heart warming day for the riders as they were welcomed inside and they found out the kids considered the riders to be their hero’s. The highlight of the day for the children was an escort from there to the Mesquite Rodeo Arena. The kids and most of the parents had never seen an escort where the freeway was shut down, much less participated in it. As one child put it “I feel like I am someone special”. The rest of the afternoon and evening was spent with the riders and the children enjoying smile, hugs, a rodeo and a free Stetson Hat. </FONT></div>
<div style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><o:p><FONT size=3 face="Times New Roman"> </FONT></o:p></div>
<div style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><FONT size=3 face="Times New Roman">Day three found those same groups of riders working their way once again through the early morning Dallas traffic to escort the Snowball Express to City Hall where each of the children were welcomed by the riders standing a double flag line leading to City Hall. This flag line gave the kids a great photo opportunity with the riders and then in the doors of City Hall to meet with the Mayor of Dallas. <SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>As the kids departed for the <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:PlaceName w:st="on">Dallas</st1:PlaceName> <st1:PlaceType w:st="on">Convention Center</st1:PlaceType></st1:place> for a day of fun they were directed through a double flag line down the center of the street.</FONT></div>
<div style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><o:p><FONT size=3 face="Times New Roman"> </FONT></o:p></div>
<div style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><FONT size=3 face="Times New Roman">On day four, you guessed it, the riders once again showed up but this time it was to escort the Snowball Express to Cowboys Stadium to spend the day with <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">America</st1:place></st1:country-region>’s Team, the Dallas Cheerleaders and the new stadium. The highlight of the event was a concert by the Lt. <st2:GivenName w:st="on">Dan</st2:GivenName> <st2:Sn w:st="on">Band</st2:Sn> staring <st1:PersonName w:st="on"><st2:GivenName w:st="on">Gary</st2:GivenName> <st2:Sn w:st="on">Sinise</st2:Sn></st1:PersonName>. The bikes completed the escort then pre positioned for a grand entry of over two hundred motorcycle into the stadium. The ride into the stadium was done to the background tune of “Born in the <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">USA</st1:place></st1:country-region>”. Under the direction of stadium security they entered (racking Pipes were not quite loud enough to drown out the sound of the children yelling for the riders). The number of bikes that will fit around the field was off to say the least, but a little Sturgis type of double parking and the task was accomplished by all the riders at hand. This was a great time of sharing for both the riders and the kids. These children showed so much respect for the riders that some of them took the footballs they had signed by the Dallas Cowboys players and asked if the riders would sign their foot ball.</FONT></div>
<div style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><o:p><FONT size=3 face="Times New Roman"> </FONT></o:p></div>
<div style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><FONT size=3 face="Times New Roman">And on the fifth day, you guessed it. Riders showed up at the downtown hotels at 4 am to escort these Snowball Express kids back to the Airport. The escorts ran until about 1 pm, but the memories of this will last a lifetime in the hearts of the children and the riders.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>The riders saw these children leave through eyes filled with bittersweet tears.</FONT></div>
<div style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><o:p><FONT size=3 face="Times New Roman"> </FONT></o:p></div>
<div style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><FONT size=3 face="Times New Roman">Thank You from the bottom of my heart, </FONT></div>
<div style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><o:p><FONT size=3 face="Times New Roman"> </FONT></o:p></div>
<div style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><FONT size=3><FONT face="Times New Roman"><st2:GivenName w:st="on">Mike</st2:GivenName> “Gunner” Lambert</FONT></FONT></div>
<div style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><FONT size=3 face="Times New Roman">Deputy State Captain</FONT></div>
<div style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><FONT size=3><FONT face="Times New Roman"><st1:place w:st="on">North Texas</st1:place> Patriot Guard Riders</FONT></FONT></div>
<div align=center> </div>
</font>