FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
For Special Honor As Part of Heroes Music Festival Pre-Event
Cavalcade Led by Rolling Thunder To Travel 120 Miles
From Hartsfield-Jackson To Hawkinsville
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (August 30, 2011)—The organizers of Heroes Music Festival (HMF) and Rolling Thunder Motorcycle Club, along with the parents of two wounded warriors, government and city officials, and the community, have assembled an HMF pre-event to honor two individuals who will return to the place they call home on Friday, September 2, 2011 -- arriving at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport.
On Saturday, September 3, 2011, Heroes Music Festival, the Rolling Thunder Motorcycle Club, Operation Troop Aid and a group of various other organizations will welcome Corporal Tony Mullis and Sergeant Griffin Fitzgerald home from a tour of duty. As special guests of the Heroes Music Festival, these service men are returning to Georgia for the very purpose to be recognized at Heroes Music Festival where they will be honored for their sacrifice and service to our country as recipients of the HMF Wounded Warrior Award.
Mullis (United States Marine Corps), who came under attack in Afghanistan (suffering from severe injuries from an IED resulting in bilateral amputation of both of his legs and tissue damage to his right arm and groin region) returns from the Bethesda Naval Medical Center, MD. Fitzgerald (United States Army) stepped on and detonated a pressure plate IED while on duty in Afghanistan. Enduring the loss of his right leg, his entire body covered in extensive burns, shrapnel wounds and lacerations, he was in recovery and undergoing rehabilitation treatment at Walter Reed.
Departing from Atlanta, the service men will be accompanied by a police escort, Rolling Thunder motorcyclists and Operation Troop Aid to travel 100 miles down Interstate-75, from the airport toWarner Robins, Georgia. Upon arrival at Warner Robins, they will proceed as a rolling motorcade through the streets and continue on to Hawkinsville where a homecoming parade will take place concluding at Hawkinsville High School.
The arrival at Hawkinsville High School will signal the beginning of a formal event to pay tribute to the soldiers who will receive the Wounded Warrior Award the following weekend at the inaugural Heroes Music Festival to be held at the Atlanta Motor Speedway in Hampton, GA (September 8-11, 2011). The Homecoming event will feature guest speakers followed by a meet-and-greet; nearly 1000 members of the Hawkinsville community are expected to attend.
“Bringing Corp. Mullis and Sgt. Fitzgerald home to a big welcome is just a small part of the HMF overall objective,” said Charles DeJournett, Heroes Music Festival founder who is a 10-year Air Force Veteran and is now an active member of the 116th Air National Guard. “Honoring these individuals officially and publicly with community support, care and love is what HMF is really all about.”
Corporal Tony Mullis and Sergeant Griffin Fitzgerald, and Captain Jordan Lindeke (United States Air Force) will be recognized at the Wounded Warrior Award presentation on Saturday evening (September 10, 2011) at Heroes Music Festival. The Navy will also honor a wounded warrior (he/she is unnamed at the time of this news release). As part of the ceremonies, the Army Silver Wings will orchestrate a parachute jump.
Artists committed to lend their musicianship to Heroes Music Festival are Mark Wills, Rodney Atkins, Eddie Money, Delbert McClinton, Lee Roy Parnell, Jonny Lang, The Grascals, Days of the New, Saving Abel, Skillet, Drowning Pool and many others. (For a complete artist line-up, visithttp://heroesmf.com.)
Single day passes begin at $65 ($55 for Military/Civil Service). Four-day passes begin at $99 ($85 for Military/Civil Service). For more information, including ticket purchases, full artist lineup and obtaining media credentials, please visit, http://heroesmf.com. Attendees can also follow HMF on Facebook (http://www.facebook.com/
Saturday, September 3, 2011—Routing & Schedule of Events
9:00 AM - Motorcycle escort
(Rolling Thunder, Inc, Georgia Chapter 3, Patriot Guard Rider and others) departs Westin Atlanta Airport Hotel for Warner Robins, GA.
10:50 AM - Motorcycle escort departs from Warner Robins, GA
(I75 and Watson Blvd) down Watson Blvd. (Mayor Chuck Shaheen drive-by.)
11:20 AM - Motorcycle Escort Arrives at Hawkinsville High School, Hawkinsville, GA.
12:00 PM - Parade Begins
(Family/DV Seating in front of Pulaski County Courthouse on Commerce Street)
1:00 PM - Parade Ends
1:15 PM - Depart for Hawkinsville High School.
1:30 PM - Homecoming Formal Event Begins (Hawkinsville HS Gym)
2:30 PM - Homecoming Formal Event Ends / Meet and Greet w/
CPL Mullis (Hawkinsville HS Gym)
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