Mark Millican
A member of Dalton’s Georgia Army National Guard unit who was hit with shrapnel in Afghanistan will have a fundraiser in his honor in Dahlonega on Aug. 1. Proceeds will help his wife with living expenses while he is recovering.
Spc. Andrew Sullens — who is also a deputy with the Lumpkin County Sheriff’s Office — was wounded in mid-May along with Sgt. 1st Class Jeffrey Boyles, Spc. Anthony Landowski and Pvt. 1st Class Shane Richardson when their vehicle ran over an improvised explosive device (IED). All are deployed with Charlie Troop of the 108th Cavalry, a reconnaissance, surveillance and target acquisition outfit tasked with training Afghani policemen.
Sullens suffered a broken leg and hip, Boyles sustained an injury to a vertebrae that did not damage his spinal cord, and Landowski received injuries including a fractured elbow, two broken legs just above the ankles and facial lacerations, according to a military report. The least seriously injured was Richardson, who was driving the vehicle and had a laceration to his forehead. Military protocol prohibits releasing information on wounded soldiers, including their hometowns, an Army officer told The Daily Citizen on Tuesday. Families are allowed to release information about their soldier’s injuries and hometowns.
On Saturday, Aug. 1, friends and supporters of the Sullens family will host a “motorcycle run and family fair” they have named the “Sully Run.” Registration begins at Lumpkin County High School at 2001 Indian Drive at 9 a.m. T-shirts will be available on a first-come, first-served basis. The ride gets under way from the high school at 10:30 a.m. with the route going to Blairsville, traveling on U.S. Highway 129 to White County, and circling back to the high school. The cost is $25 per bike (includes one barbecue meal ticket), so a second rider must pay $5 for the meal. At 2 p.m. local singer Kurt Thomas will perform for arriving riders, followed by more musical entertainment.
For family members not taking part in the bike ride, there will be refreshments, inflatables, pony rides if weather permits, a bake sale, pie contest and cake walk. There is a small fee for some events.
Event co-coordinator Ashley Coker said Sullens’ wife, Jill, has resigned from her job at a Dahlonega grocery store and moved to Augusta where her husband is recovering at an active duty rehab unit at the Veterans Administration (VA) Medical Center at Fort Gordon. Sullens has undergone “multiple surgeries to repair severe injuries” to his pelvis and legs, said Coker.
“The Army only pays her so much per diem (while he is on active duty status), but she feels like she needs to be with Andrew while he’s recovering,” Coker said. “This is not just about raising money, though. We want to show our support for Andrew since he serves in the National Guard and also as a deputy.”
Sullens is expected to be at the event, but will probably not get to ride.
“Andrew has two Harleys himself, but he’s not able to put weight on his pelvis yet,” Coker said. The Sullens do not have any children.
In a June 21 post at andysullens.blogspot.com, Sullens wrote, “Wow, I still can’t get used to a bike run in my honor and all the kindness and inspirational words people have been giving.” Jill Sullens wrote in the latest post on Sunday, “(Andrew) has actually been staying pretty busy with rehab (and) is doing really well.”
For more information contact Coker at (678) 776-3707 or Shane Squires at (706) 974-1147. A Web site for the ride has been set up at www.sullyrun.webs.com. For more information on Sullens and his “road to recovery” visit www.andysullens.com.
