New York State Marches for Peace

I had a recent connection with the Peace Center in Buffalo about 6 months ago. That’s how I met Vicki Ross and it went from there. She mentioned this march going on and she asked for a little help, and it ended up with a month and a half of good work.

Vicki met up with me and asked me to march. I said I couldn’t do that, my legs aren’t what they used to be. So I helped out as i could. I found they were looking for a truck to support the March. So I was able to get a u-haul truck (for free) and drove the truck for the Rochester Feeder March. The truck carried food, water, supplies, sleeping bags, clothes, etc.

I have to give the Marchers a ton of credit. They all deserve whatever comes their way. You don’t meet people like this every day.

I’m glad I did it. (Frank was one of the main drivers the entire route, beginning in Buffalo to Rochester, and then from Rochester to Watertown with the Marchers.) It was a bit more difficult (I had driven a truck for 20 years) than I thought it would be. This trip I was totally exhausted, driving very slow, making sure everyone had water and food. This was my work for 9 days.

For me, I’m a combat veteran and I would like to see all these kids come home.

The IVAW got an audience with the assistant commander at the base on Saturday, and I think it went well.

I met up with several other veterans, including Roland, a World War II vet, who rode his bicycle most of the 125 miles, and then walked the last one or two days. He was a trooper, no doubt about it.

I’m still recovering, not totally unpacked yet. Takes time to come down some. Come back to reality. What the Marchers did was not real. I remember several of them lancing their blisters on the third day, leaving thread in the blisters so they would drain. Didn’t stop them from walking, though. I’m proud of the Walkers. I drove the truck. It all worked out well. — Frank Gage