Before we get started, I would like to take a moment to recognize some people and organizations that have been actively Supporting Our Troops for the past several months and for some well over a year.

First and fore-most, I would like to recognize the fortitude and determination of VFW Post 1781 from Ft. Collins. They have been maintaining the Northeast corner of Mulberry and College, supporting our troops every Saturday since a week after 9/11/01. They have been out there in the heat of summer and the winds and rains of spring and autumn, and the blizzards of winter.

Next, I would like to thank the fine members of the Colorado chapter of FreeRepublic.com. FreeRepublic is an online community of over 90,000 people across the nation. When the United States announced Operation Enduring Freedom, Free Republic responded by launching Operation Infinite Freep to support our troops. Here in Colorado Freepers joined the VFW in Ft. Collins on Saturdays and has since branched out to weekly rallies in Greeley, Longmont and right here in Loveland.

Then there are those individuals that epitomize the freedom we enjoy in this country. Freedoms we enjoy because our military. They had an idea and took action on that idea and because of their action others joined in and wonderful things happened.

On April 8th, Emery Esse a 52-year-old former Marine sergeant went to the Larimer County Road 36/Interstate 25 overpass and waved his American flag. 200 people joined him.

There is one individual I would like to pay special tribute to. She is not here today, for a very good reason. She and her husband are out in California at MCAS Miramar, welcoming their son Major Rob Taylor home from Iraq. Rob has been manning the cockpit of an F-18 in both Afghanistan and Iraq. When I first discussed a rally to Thank Our Troops with Marcey, she suggested to do it today on Armed Forces Day.

I would like to thank Marcey Blanco for her tireless effort for the past few months. Marcey is responsible for all of the Support Our Troops yard signs planted in people's yards from Ft. Collins to Longmont and Greeley to Estes Park and especially right here in Loveland. She and her crew of volunteers at the The American Legion Auxiliary sold sign, bumper stickers and t-shirts every Saturday, Sunday and Tuesday at the Veteran's club. With the proceeds from the sale of these items she went shopping for the troops. Two weeks ago they sent over 75 Love Packages to Loveland troops serving in Iraq. She also collected all of the names that you will heard read later and arranged for the plaque and collage.

The Sagebrush Riders 4-H club made care packages for the troops and presented them to the Loveland families support group at the April 26, 2003 meeting.

And last, but certainly not least, I would like to thank the family members of our troops serving overseas. Their sacrifices are sometimes enormous and yet unnoticed by the general public. They wait, sometimes for months to hear from their sons, daughters, brothers and sisters and husbands and wives. Many of them have formed a support group to share the ups and owns of being a military family. The Family Support meeting will be in the in the Coors room of McKee Conference Center at 3:00p.m this afternoon.

For more information about how Loveland has been supporting our troops visit www.lovelanet.com