BN- Mad Dog, of the Second Brigade Motorcycle Club, cleans a grave in the veterans section of Washington Cemetery Monday. Don Pabian visi...
BN- Mad Dog, of the Second Brigade Motorcycle Club, cleans a grave in the veterans section of Washington Cemetery Monday.
Don Pabian visited Washington Cemetery recently, walked leisurely through the veterans section and saw mostly neat rows of graves and American flags. And a little neglect.
There were broken holders, flags on the ground, markers obscured or concealed by grass.
“I thought this should be straightened out,” he said. “So here we are.”
Pabian and five other Washington County members of the Second Brigade Motorcycle Club were at the cemetery Monday afternoon, replacing, straightening and installing flag holders, getting the Stars and Stripes off the ground and removing overgrowth from headstones.
They volunteered for this labor on a blistering Labor Day because, well, this is what the Second Brigade Motorcycle Club does. It is a global organization, including two chapters in Germany, that shares a brotherhood with veterans, especially those from the Vietnam War. Not all Second Brigade members are military veterans, but all are supporters.
Pabian is president of the local chapter, which he said is 18 years old.
“We wanted to straighten up these sites to show some respect for veterans who served, who sacrificed for us,” Pabian said.
He goes by the moniker Pijak, a Polish term for “drunk” or “drunkard.” All six were from Washington County and most have uncomplimentary nicknames, whether they are deserving or not. DUI, Mad Dog and Captain Morgan helped out, as did a duo known simply as John and Jeff. Two wives and one girlfriend accompanied the six men.
They toiled for the better part of an hour, digging, cleaning up, making a a beautiful location even better. All of them then spent time at the cemetery’s Vietnam Veterans memorial.
Time isn’t the only thing the local organization donates. Pabian said his group helps people in need, saying it gave to a spaghetti dinner fundraiser for a girl who was ill; bought sweat pants and socks for veterans at a Veterans Administration hospital; and is involved with a spaghetti dinner scheduled for Sept. 20 to help pay medical bills for a motorcyclist injured in a crash.
“We try to give back to the community,” Pabian said.
They certainly did Monday afternoon.
More: http://www.observer-reporter.com/article/20150907/NEWS01/150909524
