Brothers in arms

WARWICK — Anyone who has driven along Route 17A between Bellvale and Greenwood Lake, or those who have hiked the section of the Appalachian Trail atop Mt. Peter, are aware of the popular and busy hot dog stand, Hot Dogs Plus.
That business is owned and operated by Bud Whitt, 81, who has run that hot dog stand in Warwick, just steps away from the Appalachian Trail, since 1982.
Whitt said that his hot dog lovers come from hikers and a bunch of devoted regulars.
As usual he put up six or seven highway signs this summer.
But they were vandalized for the second year in a row.
Whitt also happens to be a Korean War veteran. And his loss came to the attention of the Orange County Chapter of the Nam Knights.
In 1989 a group of Harley motorcycle riders, all Viet Nam war veterans as well as police officers, banded together to form the Nam Knights.
The club was founded by Jack Quigley, retired undersheriff of the Bergen County, N.J., Sheriff's Department.
The Nam Knights now have 69 Chapters in the United States and Canada.
It was Quigley who learned about the vandalism and suggested that the members of the Orange County Chapter ride to support Whitt, a fellow veteran.
And on Friday, Aug. 31, braving heavy rain at times, those members, led by Bob Caridi, arrived at Whitt's hot dog stand where they presented him with a check for $100 to help pay for new signs.
The Nam Knights all agreed that all veterans and members of the military or law enforcement are brothers and considered family, which is why they came in the rain to show their support.
- Roger Gavan