PARKER COUNTY — A plump red-orange sun slowly lifted from the horizon as a dozen Parker County residents gathered in the Brookshire’s grocery store parking lot in Willow Park Saturday morning.
Members of the Bush Legacy Republican Women of Weatherford stood outside their cars as a small group of veterans in the American Legon Post 163 minivan sat waiting.
About every six weeks, this group — sometimes larger when joined by more people — makes a morning trek to DFW International Airport. Their goal: to greet troops returning from combat in the Middle East.
The largest group they’ve ever had for the troop meet and greet was 56 people, said Carolyn Estes, who coordinates the meet up for the Republican women’s group. But, no matter the size of the group meeting the troops, it’s important to have people there to welcome them after the soliders have been traveling for about three days to come home.
“I feel like we just owe it to them to be there,” Estes said, her eyes filling with emotion and tears. “This is the first time they put their feet on American soil (since being overseas). We need to be there.”
Other members of the Republican women’s group echoed that sentiment.
