by Jim Houck, Jr.
TINA MARIE REEVES
E-3 UNITED STATES MARINE CORPS
Tina was born and raised in the Emmitsburg-Thurmont area until she was seventeen years old, then she joined the Marine Corps. She met her husband, Keith, who was also a marine at the time, and they went on to have a daughter they named, Kim. Tina, Keith, and Kim reside in Albuquerque, New Mexico, where Tina has been Regional Commander of Nation of Patriots Riders Club for the past eight years. She raised $2,000 so far this year and helped out with the Flags for Vets, which is a non-profit organization that helps Veterans who want a flag pole in front of their home but cannot afford to put one up. Tina and the Patriot Riders went with the Flags for Vets group to Gallop, New Mexico, and chipped in to surprise a Veteran with a flag pole; her heart told her it was the right thing to do. Tina set up the ride, which consisted of about fifty riders. She called the man, Philip, and asked him to meet them at the Comfort Suites at Gallop. Philip asked Tina what the meeting was about; she told him they wanted to recognize people who supported Nation of Patriots. The Comfort Suites is managed by Veterans and friendly to all Veterans and had helped the Riders Club before. When Philip arrived, they were all eating pizza; they socialized for a while. Then, Tina got up to give her speech about “calling a Veteran this morning to make sure he would show up, and he said he would be here…” Tina said she watched Philip’s face as he realized she was talking about him. Tina called him to the front and presented him with a check for $2,025.
I talked with Tina’s sister, Valerie, one evening when she was tending bar at AMVETS Post 7 in Thurmont. Valerie knew that Tina and I had become friends when I interviewed her in 2016. She told me that Tina was coming to the area and that she would let me know when she arrived. “Please do,” I told Valerie. “I really would like to see her again.” I met Tina at AMVETS Post 7 and talked with her. I asked her if it would be okay to write a piece about her in my column, again, and she said sure. The first column I wrote about Tina can be found in the archives on The Catoctin Banner website at www.thecatoctinbanner.com; just click on October 2016 and go to page 36.
Thank you, TINA and Thank you, VAL!
EVERYONE HAVE A VERY MERRY CHRISTMAS!
GOD BLESS THE U.S.A. GOD BLESS THE AMERICAN VETERAN GOD BLESS YOU
