WWII Vets wanted free trip to WWII Memorial

West Warwick, RI, October 5, 2009 – Archway Bus Transportation, Inc, of West Warwick, RI, AAA Southern New England and the Arlington Court Hotel of Arlington, VA, are looking for forty-eight, Rhode Island area, World War II Veterans to travel to the World War II Veterans Memorial in Washington, DC, on November 10 and November 11, 2009, Veterans Day – free of charge.

The idea is the brainstorm of Stephen Archambault, owner of Archway Bus, who wants to honor his late father and all his father’s comrades, past and present, who are veterans of WW II. Archway is providing the luxury motor coach that will take the veterans down to the nation’s capitol on November 10, take them to the Memorial on the morning of Veterans Day, and bring them back to Rhode Island in the afternoon and evening.

When Lloyd Albert and Carl Richardson of AAA Southern New England heard about the planned trip, they volunteered their experience and expertise to find luxury accommodations in the DC area. Jim Malixi of the Arlington Court Hotel responded with drastically discounted double-suite rooms at the hotel and with a free, light dinner on arrival and a free continental breakfast on Veterans Day. On route to and from Washington, the motor coach will stop at Cracker Barrel restaurants for lunches.

All four offices of Rhode Island’s congressional delegation have indicated that they are interested in meeting with the veterans group at some point along its itinerary, if time allows.

All area World War II veterans are eligible to apply for a seat on the motor coach who are medically able to make the trip, able to get to and from the central departure and return point, and who are physically able to board and disembark from the motor coach independently. The motor coach is, of course, equipped with a spotless, fully functional rest room.

The motor coach will depart the Cracker Barrel Restaurant in Coventry, RI, at Exit 7, off I95, at 7AM on Tuesday, November 10 and return to the same point at 9 PM on Veterans Day, November 11.

To apply for a seat on the motor coach, veterans need only send a letter or email to Archway Bus giving the following information. Name, address, telephone number, email address (optional), service branch, military theater of operation, unit, rank, military occupational specialty, and a brief statement of why you would like to go on the trip. All applications must be in by 5PM, Friday, October 23, 2009.

Archway will select the forty-eight veterans, male and female, to make the trip from the letters received and hopes to select veterans from all of the service branches.

Letters and emails should be addressed to Stephen Archambault, Archway Bus Transportation, Inc., 76 Industrial Lane, West Warwick, RI 02893 or email to archway@cox.net, or call 401-828-4100.