It’s a small token of appreciation for what soldiers have given this country, but next year one soldier will get a small token for his bravery: a custom built motorcycle.
Soldiers who have been awarded the Purple Heart are eligible to win the motorcycle. The Purple Heart “trike,” a purple three-wheel chopper-style motorcycle, is touring the United States and will be on display at Korum Ford on Valley Road from Nov. 10 through Nov. 14. The Purple Heart is an award honored to military personnel who have been injured during active duty.
“We were honored to have the trike come to the Pacific Northwest,” said Greg Becker, marketing director for Korum Ford. “The local VFW and the active military have really embraced this.”
The Purple Heart Trike tour was spearheaded by Greg Schisler of San Antonio, Texas, a retired general manager of a Ford dealership, whose son is in the Air Force.
“He was fire fighter and medic in Iraq,” Schisler said. “He had to go to roadside bombings and bring the soldiers out. I felt like I had to do something. So I decided to build a trike for a soldier.”
Schisler designed the bike and he and his wife tour the U.S. with it. Purple Heart recipients can fill out entry forms telling their story and one lucky soldier will be awarded his or her own custom-built bike.
“This trike will be totally custom-built for whatever the soldier wants,” Schisler said. “Ford dealers are sponsoring this. They’re making a big event of it in Washington.”
Becker said when Schisler contacted Korum Ford they decided to take the event a step further. Korum is matching Schisler’s trike offer by donating a customized 2007 Mustang.
“The Purple Heart Mustang will be awarded to a Purple Heart recipient from Washington State in September 2008,” Becker said.
Korum is following Schisler’s lead and taking the Mustang on tour. It will appear at The Puyallup Fair, a Mustang show in Bellevue and all types of different events, Becker said.
“The first event is the parade in Auburn,” he said. “Ron Dier, chaplain of the VFW in Puyallup, will drive the car in the parade.”
The Mustang will be on tour for a year. The car will also make an appearance at the Veterans Day ceremony at Pioneer Park on Nov. 12.
Becker said, “We have created a board with active and retired military, community leaders and corporations that will meet monthly and select a finalist. We will have 12 finalists and one will be chosen next September.” In order to be awarded the vehicle veterans can submit an entry wherever the car is located, or at Korum Ford.
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