Nuts, Blood, and Guts: The 65th Anniversary of the Battle of the Bulge - Blogged by N8

On the 12th of December, Master Sergeant R took RP1 N, RP3 B and myself up to a "Volksmarch" in Bastogne, Belgium for the 65th anniversary of the Battle of the Bulge. A volksmarch, translated "people's march" is a tradition that started in Europe where people are invited to walk or hike together on an outdoor trail. This particular volksmarch was around important areas of where the Battle of the Bulge was fought. So, along the way, there were hundreds of re-enactors dressed as American and British troops, as well as a few German SS troops. There was also a lot of antique military equipment including tanks, half-tracks, motorcycles, and jeeps. It was really a neat experience!

It was the first day that it snowed this winter and the good majority of the trail was mud! It made for a fun time trying to hike through slippery, sticky mud with hundreds of other people. There were even a few people pushing small children in strollers.

Below are some pictures that I took of the re-enactors and military equipment:
























At the beginning of the trail there was a statue of a werewolf that is a legend around Bastogne. I had to get a snapshot with it.




These two are of me with a couple of pieces of old military equipment:




When we got there, we saw that there were 4 choices of trails that you could hike on. We decided to do the 10k Volksmarch due to the snow. Well, we weren't paying attention to where we were going and ended up on the 23k trail. That's over 14 miles! It was freezing and our feet were soaked in muddy water! Here's a picture of me next to the sign that said we were back within city limits. Notice how happy and relieved I look.



We then decided to get some dinner, and for dessert, I had to have a Belgian Waffle.



So, at the end of the day, I looked at my shoes and thought, "What a great day!"

Help For Haiti - Blogged by JME

The clinic that I work is putting together kits to provide necessary items for people in Haiti who need our help. We are putting together hygiene kits to send to the island. The following items are what is needed for each kit:

• 2 unbreakable combs without sharp handles
• 4 toothbrushes (sealed)
• 1 tube of toothpaste (6-8 ounces each)
• 2 bars of soap (3.5-5 ounces each)
• 2 hand towels (approximatly 15x25 inches), dish towels and washcloths are not acceptable.
• Place all items in a heavy-duty, one-gallon sealable bag.

I know there are a lot of wonderful organizations that are putting together donations for the Haitians, including the LDS church. If anybody wants to be involved in helping to collect these items for the clinic to send to Haiti, please let me know by calling me or e-mailing me. The items must be EXACTLY as listed. The approximate cost of each kit is $10. You may donate individual items from the list above towards a kit. If you are interested in making a donation towards the purchase of a kit, you may do so with cash or check. If you want to write a check, please contact me so I can let you know who to make your check out to, or write it to the clinic I work for if you know where I work already. (I don't like to post that kind of information on my blog but I will tell you over e-mail or the phone.)

Kits and donations are being taken now through February 5th, 2010.