volunteer – EWU Army ROTC

Fighting Eagles Cadets Keep Stretch of Highway 904 Clean of Litter

11/08/2020 by jstafford3

This month Cadets from the Eastern Washington University (EWU) Reserve Officer Training Program (ROTC) Fighting Eagle Battalion continued its participation in the Adopt-A-Highway program sponsored by the Washington State Department of Transportation. On November 7, 2020 the Cadets cleaned a section of Lt. Col. Michael P. Anderson Memorial Highway of debris and litter. The section of the road, also known as Highway 904, is located just north of Cheney in Four Lakes.

EWU Army ROTC Cadets pick up garbage along Highway 904 through Four Lakes, Washington.

The Cadets woke up early Saturday morning, donned their safety equipment, and drove to Four Lakes to begin the clean up. The group then spread out over both sides of the highway to pick up any garbage they saw. Whether it was litter on the road or bulk garbage, EWU ROTC Cadets spent the next couple of hours cleaning up any trash in sight.

EWU Army ROTC Cadets Witcher (left) and Beier (right) pick up garbage along Highway 904.

Despite the chilly weather the Cadets ended the clean up in high spirits by helping keep the roadside through Four Lakes clean. The Fighting Eagles battalion looks forward to continuing its partnership with the Washington State Department of Transportation to maintain the cleanliness of this busy stretch highway for the local community

EWU Army ROTC Cadets (from left) Palmer, Becker, Watters, Lindsey, Schoup, Witcher, and Beier pose for a picture after completing the clean up of Highway 904 through Four Lakes.

Eagle Strong!

Eastern Washington University Army ROTC Cadets Deliver 704 Pound Food Donation to Cheney Food Bank

12/02/2019 by jstafford3

Great job by our Eastern Washington University (EWU) Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC) Cadets that supported the food drive for the local Cheney Food Bank. The EWU Army ROTC program gathered 613 items that weighed a total of 704 pounds. Then on Thanksgiving day, seven Cadets that remained in the Spokane area over the holiday break, delivered the food to the Cheney Food Bank. After delivering the food they then participated in the Turkey Trot fundraiser where they rucked 5 kilometers around Cheney. Big thank you to Cadets Michael Beier, Josh Browning, Amayia Roberts, Kaylie Watters, Andrew Norby, Liam Hewey, and Nelson Hergert for supporting the Turkey Trot. It was a great event that once again demonstrated the positive impact our EWU Army ROTC Cadets are having in the local community.

Go Fighting Eags!

EWU ROTC Turkey Trot 2019 Picture — Picture of food donated to the Cheney Food Bank.

EWU Army ROTC Cadets Support Washington State Adopt A Highway Program

11/20/2019 by jstafford3

By: Cadet Austin Bristow

On November 16th, members of the Eastern Washington University’s (EWU) Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC) “Fighting Eagles” battalion drove to Four Lakes, Washington to continue the unit’s participation in the Washington State Adopt A Highway program.

EWU ROTC Highway Clean Up — EWU Army ROTC Cadets are prepared to clean the highway. From left: Chad Triplett, Cesar, Guzman, Austin Pfennig, Ian House, Cheyenne Sweet, Olivia Roble, Zach Delacerda, & Joseph Jordan

The stretch of road that the Fighting Eagles Cadets are responsible for maintaining is the Lt. Col. Michael P. Anderson Memorial Highway that connects Cheney to Interstate-90. Lt. Col. Anderson was an astronaut who graduated from Cheney High School and was tragically killed in the Space Shuttle Columbia disaster.

Ten members of the Battalion showed up with hard hats, safety vests and gloves in order to clean up the trash. Various items like cigarette butts and bottles were expected, but not to the extent that was seen. A total of ten bags of trash were collected on the sides of the freeway, but also more unfamiliar items. A front end of a car, two walking canes, a traffic cone, and a whole dishwasher was picked up and brought to the collection point.

The is the second time in the past six months that the Cadets have cleaned up this section of the highway. The Fighting Eagles Cadets will continue to periodically come out and keep the highway clean in honor of Lt. Col. Anderson. Go Fighting Eags!

Highway Clean Up — Mission Accomplished!

Fighting Eagles Cadets Begin Adopt A Highway Partnership with Washington State Department of Transportation

06/05/2019 by jstafford3

By: Cadet Austin Bristow

On June 1st, 2019, Eastern Washington University (EWU) Reserve Officer Training Program (ROTC) Fighting Eagle Battalion began its participation in the Adopt-A-Highway program sponsored by the Washington State Department of Transportation. The Cadets cleaned a section of Lt. Col. Michael P. Anderson Memorial Highway of debris and litter. The road, also known as Highway 904, is located just north of Cheney in Four Lakes.

The Cadets are ready to conduct their highway cleanup. Back row (left to right: John Drohman, Liam Hewey, Ian House, Hunter Smith, Everett Kuhnel, Riley Williams; front row (left to right): Joseph Jordan, Cheyenne Sweet, Mindy Leen, Samantha Knight, Olivia Roble, Andrew Norby

The Cadets woke up early Saturday morning and donned their hard hats and other safety for the day. Arriving at the designated location with their trash bags, the group spread out over the area to pick up any garbage they saw. Whether it was litter on the road or large piece of wood, EWU ROTC Cadets spent the next couple of hours cleaning up any trash in sight.

Cadets Leen and Williams in the tall grasses looking for litter.

What the Cadets thought would be a long endeavor of cleaning, only took about two hours. With high spirits and beautiful weather, the Cadets were able to collect multiple bags of trash and a stack of wood. Overall, it was a great day of volunteer work in Four Lakes and the Fighting Eagles Cadets look forward to continuing its partnership with the Washington State Department of Transportation to maintain the cleanliness of this busy stretch highway for the local community

Go Fighting Eags!

Cadets Leen and Williams in the tall grasses looking for litter

EWU ROTC Cadets Plant Flags at the Washington State Veterans Cemetery in Honor of Memorial Day

05/26/2019 by jstafford3

One of the Memorial Day activities available to Cadets from the Eastern Washington University (EWU) Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC) battalion to volunteer for was to plant flags at the Washington State Veterans Cemetery in Medical Lake. Seven of our Fighting Eagles Cadets supported the cemetery by planting flags at all the headstones in advance of Memorial Day. The Cadets worked their way around the expansive cemetery planting a flag and saluting each gravestone.

This volunteer initiative is part of the long standing support the EWU ROTC “Fighting Eagles” battalion has provided to the State Veterans Cemetery.

On Monday, May 27th, 2019 the official Memorial Day 2019 Ceremony will begin with a musical prelude at 10:30 AM and the official ceremony beginning at 11:00 AM at the State Veterans Cemetery. For those that have not been to the cemetery before it is located just outside of Medical Lake:

[googlemaps https://www.google.com/maps/embed?pb=!1m18!1m12!1m3!1d196723.9580191122!2d-117.78880888786219!3d47.650541979933365!2m3!1f0!2f0!3f0!3m2!1i1024!2i768!4f13.1!3m3!1m2!1s0x549e6ac5ece78951%3A0x18a9cdbc53fa688!2s21702+W+Espanola+Rd%2C+Medical+Lake%2C+WA+99022!5e0!3m2!1sen!2sus!4v1558920110258!5m2!1sen!2sus&w=600&h=450]

Parking is available at the cemetery with overflow available along side the entrance road. Great job by our Fighting Eagles Cadets and our lead Cadet volunteer officer, Melinda Leen for helping the State Veterans Cemetery prepare for the ceremony.

From left: Cadets Hewey, Bergman, Erickson, Drohman, Leen, Smart, and Anderson