Did you know that U.S. Marine Lance Corporal Charles Sharp, 20, of Adairsville, Georgia, was killed July 2 while supporting combat operations in Helmand province, Afghanistan? How about Army PFCs Justin Casillas, 19, of Dunnigan, California, or Aaron Fairbairn, 20, of Aberdeen, Washington, who lost their lives in combat at  Combat Outpost Zerok, Afghanistan? Or Navy Petty Officer Tony Michael Randolph, 22, of Henryetta, Oklahoma, who died July 6 in an improvised explosive device attack on his convoy in northern Afghanistan?

Did you know that Army Specialist Christopher Talbert, 24, of Galesburg, Illinois, and PFC Nicolas Gideon, 20, of Murrieta, California, and Captain Mark Garner, 30, from North Carolina, and 2nd Lieutenant Derwin Williams, 41, of Glenwood, Illinois, and Sergeant Brock Chavers, 25, of Bulloch, Georgia, Specialist Chester Hosford, 35, of Hastings, Minnesota, Specialist Issac Johnson, 24, of Columbus, Georgia, and Marine Sergeant Michael Roy, 25, of North Fort Myers, Florida, and Army Private Lucas Bregg, 19, of Wright City, Missouri, and Army Specialist Gregory Missman, 36, of Batavia, Ohio all died fighting for our country in the last few days?

Isn’t it sad that last week all of these fine young American servicemen lost their lives in freedom’s name, but all the news media could talk about was one wacked out notorious Hollywood freak who died? Doesn’t that make you really proud to be an American?

Okay, I’m back down off my soapbox, for now at least.

I have some very exciting news to share with you about our upcoming Ohio Gypsy Gathering rally September 28 to October 2. Our friends Joe and Vicki Kieva, two of the best known and respected RV authors and speakers in the world, are coming to the rally to put on a seminar or two!

There are a lot of us who scribble an article or two now and then, and some of my peers are very well known in their own right. But when Joe and Vicki take to a stage, it’s like show business meets the RV world. Their columns in the Good Sam Club’s Highways magazine, Woodall’s regional RV magazines, and KOA’s KOA Kompass internet newsletter, along with their featured speaker status at Life on Wheels and major RV shows nationwide have earned Joe and Vicki well deserved celebrity status. Besides which, they are two of the nicest people you’ll ever meet anywhere. To say we are thrilled to have them at our little rally is the understatement of the year.

Joe suggested their excellent Alaska, the Ultimate RV Adventure! seminar and having attended it, I know it will be a hit with our crowd. We have not worked out the details yet, but they may well be doing a second seminar, to be announced later. They will also be selling their excellent books and CDs, and visiting with folks about the RV lifestyle.

We’re going to be doing a couple of other new things at the rally, as well. We’re moving our vendors inside to keep them out of the weather, and the vendors will be doing their seminars in the same building they are selling from, which makes it easy for rally attendees to visit their booths and do some shopping after they speak.

It’s also been suggested we have a tailgate sale afternoon, where people can offer their no longer needed items for sale to the rally crowd. It will be a great opportunity to unload some stuff you’ve been carrying around too long, and maybe pick up a bargain or two at the same time.

If you haven’t registered for the rally yet, be sure to click the link below and get your name on the rally list.

Thought For The Day – Funny, I don’t remember being absent minded.

Register Now For Our Ohio Gypsy Gathering Rally

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