Mount Rushmore "Rock Faces"

Port Washington, WI

We had our family vacation planed for Sept. 11-18, 2020. We packed up from Wisconsin and headed west to South Dakota. I needed to cross an item off my bucket list: seeing Mount Rushmore. So as we got there in the later afternoon and explored Mount Rushmore, my 3-year-old son decided it needed a better name and renamed it "Rock Faces." I, of course, couldn't think of anything more fitting than having my 100 Miles for Hope Shirt on - and wouldn't you know it, I left the sign at the rental cabin. But I had my photo taken in front of Mount Rushmore minus the sign. What was even more amazing and hard to describe was the evening lighting ceremony. After the park ranger talk and the movie about Mount Rushmore, they lit the faces of the presidents with large lights. After the lighting they invited all veterans/active-duty military members to come up on stage and be thanked by the crowd. The park ranger then asked for six volunteers; well, I decided to raise my hand, and myself and the other 5 veterans were asked to retire the flag flying over the stage at Mount Rushmore. What an honor that was, and the crowd again thanked all of us before we departed for the evening. What an amazing feeling, and my son and wife got to watch it all. All of this while supporting 100 Miles for Hope and the Legion.

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