What an exciting night!  I just got home from the 
Reagan Day Dinner 2007 in Pasco County.
We have dozens of photos to post. And if that's 
what you are looking for, please be patient. 
Hopefully all the photos will be posted by the
end of the weekend. I am so glad that my 
brother went with me. But I apologize to those 
of you who wanted to hear Josh's Song. For 
those of you who were not able to attend, 
I made it half-way thru his song when I just 
lost it and started crying. Josh was right next 
to me just off stage and when I was singing 
his song I looked at him and that was it. So 
if you want to hear the whole thing 
(without the tears) you can go to the page on
this site titled 'Josh's Song" and hear the song
and see a slide show of pictures from Iraq and
Afghanistan.

Josh  was extremely excited that he was able to
shake the hand of Fred Thompson. Afterward he 
said " Awesome! I just shook hands with my 
Commander-In-Chief!". That is  really something 
coming from a Marine who has never been at all 
interested in anything political.

If you see yourself and would like a copy of a pic, 
just send us your e-mail or regular address and we
will get it to you. If you would like a CD with 
Josh's Song and the National Anthem we can
certainly send that out as well. Also, if you provide
your name, we will post it on the site with your picture.

Take care America!
Still chasing my dream!

~~~ Ashley~~~

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I just wanted to tell you how beautiful you sang and how
touching it was when you sang "Josh's Song." It's 
moments like that truly matter and make a difference
in others. I can promise you there wasn't one person
in the room who wasn't moved. 

Sincerely,

Danny Burgess
Councilman
City of Zephyrhills




~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~



September 15, 2007

Ashley,



You were absolutely awe-inspiring last night
both in the performance of the National Anthem
and Josh’s Song. You set us up by inspiring us
with love of country and then showed us the cost
of defending our country, the cost that military
families such as yours pay to protect us all. There
is no amount of thanks that can be given to our
military to ever repay them or families such as
yours that make the sacrifices for the good of us all.
There was not a dry eye in the house when you
sang the song you wrote for your brother and it was
absolutely beautiful and touched us all. It is such a
gift that you have to be able to speak through your
music and have such an effect. We were so moved
by your song and the love that was so apparent
between your brother and yourself was so genuine,
heart warming and heart breaking all at the same time.
It is a gift that you have given us, to be able to relate
on a personal level with our troops and their families.
Your song made it personally touching to everyone
as evidenced by the standing ovation you received
from the crowd. Awesome, you are truly awesome.



Sincerely,

Shari Kotsch 
Republican Party of Florida
State Committeewoman
Reagan Day Dinner Chairwoman

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

..........

I was singing in the corner facing the dining room where I provided some pre-dinner entertainment.

Waiting for seating

Zephyrhills City Councilman Danny Burgess thanks Josh for his service.

Zephyrhills' Danny Burgess

Mingling before dinner

Photo op!

Shari Kotsch, State Committeewoman RPOF

You can't see me, but I'm back in the corner by the exit sign.

Senator Victor Crist was the host for the evening.

Senator Thompson makes his entrance

Senator Fred Thompson, Bill Bunting, Senator Victor Crist

Senator Fred Thompson, Candidate for President of the United States

Josh was able to capture Senator Thompson's attention and a handshake.

Color Guard after posting the colors

My brother was standing by as I started to sing his song.

Then I looked at him and just lost it and started crying. Once again my big brother came to my rescue.

Josh made a lot of new friends during the evening.

Senator Victor Crist and his wife were kind enough to pose for a picture with us.They are both very nice, down-to-earth people.

Josh and Jim Greer, Republican Party of Florida Chairman

Josh giving contact info to Senator Crist and Attorney General Bill McCollum

This is John Kennedy (no lie!) and his wife Judy. Their grandson William Faulkner is in the Army and currently stationed in Iraq. Josh gave Judy a hug since she can't get one from her grandson.

Senator Crist had speaker duties to perform while everyone else got to enjoy dinner.

Slick bus, but I think the Marine in front of it really adds just a touch more class! No- I am not at all prejudiced!

Some of the 600+ crowd enjoying  the start of dinner.

More East Pasco Republicans

Some of the East Pasco Republicans

Some of the members of the Reagan Republican Club from East Pasco.

These sweet young ladies stopped for a photo. When they send me their names, we'll let you know who they are.

Darren Newkirk, Director of Emergency Services at Florida Hospital Zephyrhills, brought his wife to the event.

After the dinner, outside the Spartan Manor with my brother Josh.