Hayden Veterans Memorial Plaza added to Tour of Honor

The Hayden City Hall Pfc. Robert J. Gordon Veterans Memorial Plaza has been added to this year’s national Tour of Honor map.

Nearly 1,200 motorcyclists have ridden each year since 2011 to memorial sites on the Tour of Honor in honor of veterans, first responders and sometimes working men etched in history at the sites.

“It’s kind of cool because people find names of people they knew,” said Idaho sponsor Ken Tracy. “Like former classmates. Every year we have a story like that.”

Each state has a tour sponsor who adds seven memorial sites to the map that includes 500 sites across the country, and the tour changes each year. Motorcyclists then visit sites and collect photos they take during their visits. Any registered rider who collects photos of seven sites visited by Oct. 31 will receive a finisher certificate.

Participants range from veterans, law enforcement, casual bikers, businessmen and retirees, often between the ages of 50 and 65.

“Some local eateries provide discounts if the patron shows the Tour of Honor flag when they pay their bill,” said Ken Tracy, Idaho’s state sponsor. “One eatery made a special burger called the Tour of Honor Roll, and a doughnut shop made a special edition Tour of Honor doughnut with red, white and blue icing. It’s been fun, not only for the riders, but the town as well.”

Because this year is the 50th anniversary of the end of the Vietnam draft, many memorials on this year’s map have a Vietnam theme, like Hayden’s, which honors Pfc. Robert J. Gordon in Veterans Memorial Plaza in front of Hayden City Hall.

“Most riders prefer small towns to large towns,” Tracy said. “When you consider the budget of the city, the smaller towns outshine the big ones. And we try to list places for good food or recommendations for local hot spots.”

“We already had one person visit on the tour,” said Suzanne Cano, director of Hayden recreation and community events.

Usually, the highest site visit counts are on the East Coast, where bigger states get 60 or 70 visits to their sites. Idaho will usually see 15-20 visits per site.

“It’s all about the numbers for the riders,” Tracy said. “Every year there’s a couple people who get all the contiguous 48 states. So far I don’t think anyone has gone to Alaska and Hawaii in the same year they visited the lower 48.”

The cost to register for the ride is $125, which includes a T-shirt, a flag and other flare. Riders can also leave a poker chip at memorial sites, a tradition started by a rider who was a first responder during 9/11 and lost his brother, also a first responder, at ground zero. He paints rocks yellow at each memorial and writes 343 on them, the number of firefighters who died in the attack on the buildings at the World Trade Center complex in New York City.

The city of Hayden Veterans Commission is offering the opportunity to place the name of a veteran on brick pavers as part of the Pfc. Robert J. Gordon Veterans Memorial Plaza in front of Hayden City Hall. Naming rights may be purchased for $100.

To qualify to have a veteran’s name placed on a paver:

• The veteran must be currently serving or have served under honorable conditions in the United States Armed Forces (DD-214 or other qualifying documentation of honorable service is required). Military personnel discharged prior to 1940 and organized military groups are exempt from this requirement.

• Residency in Hayden is not required.

• The city has two installations per calendar year: Memorial Day and Veterans Day.

• Deadline for Memorial Day installation is Thursday, May 4.

To learn more about the Commemorative Brick Program and the Pfc. Robert J. Gordon Veterans Memorial Plaza, contact the Recreation & Community Events Department at 208-209-1080 or visit Hayden City Hall located at 8930 N. Government Way.