Southern Journeys Of Oklahoma

Lake Elsinore: Four women journey across America to hear veterans' stories

Documentary film makers Dottie Papin, 64, Eugenia “Genie” Parrish, photojournalist friend Melissa Anderson, 33, and her 11-year-old daughter, Skylar, will travel to eight southern states visiting veterans, and families affected by military service, to capture their tales of honor triumph, and sacrifice.

Their film, “Freedom Beat Across America: In Search of America’s Heartbeat,” will tell the story of their month-long expedition that includes stops at national parks, museums and cemeteries as well as other places that will connect them with American history.

The purpose is to see how three generations of women view these times in history.

The group also hopes to connect and ride with several chapters of the Patriot Guard, a group of men and women who serve as an escort for families at funerals of fallen armed forces members, protecting them from protestors.

The gals are all friends, sisters in a sense, and for each one it will be an unforgettable experience. They come with individual goals, questions and the passion to show the heroism of war veterans.

For 64-year-old Papin, the ‘mother’ of the group, the trip will be an opportunity to bring a new perspective of veterans, those who make America’s heart beat, she said.

Papin believes her daughter would have been excited about her going on the trip. Her daughter served eight years in the Army and died in 1997; her death was not combat related.

Papin said it was her idea to have her daughter enlist because she felt it would help her succeed in the future.

“I felt it would give her some great opportunities to become an independent young woman. Which it did,” she said.

Papin’s daughter served as manager at the Lake Elsinore Chamber of Commerce for a number of years.

She said the road trip and the experience ahead will at some point hit close to home, since everyone knows someone affected by war.

“The Civil War was selected as a starting point for our quest because in many ways it is reflected by our current times,” Papin said. “Not the war itself, but because of the divisiveness it brought to the nation.”

For Parrish, who will be the one behind the wheel, this trip is a quest to learn why the war has left our nation divided.

“I know there’s still a bitterness out there and some resentment for veterans. But I want to know what they felt when they came home,” she said of her hopes in talking with a veteran. “I want to know how they coped and did it cripple their life or get through it no problem.

Lake Elsinore: Four women journey across America to hear veterans ...

Documentary film makers Dottie Papin, 64, Eugenia “Genie” Parrish, photojournalist friend Melissa Anderson, 33, and her 11-year-old daughter, Skylar, will travel to eight southern states visiting veterans, and families affected by military service, to capture their tales of honor triumph, and sacrifice.

Their film, “Freedom Beat Across America: In Search of America’s Heartbeat,” will tell the story of their month-long expedition that includes stops at national parks, museums and cemeteries as well as other places that will connect them with American history.

The purpose is to see how three generations of women view these times in history.

The group also hopes to connect and ride with several chapters of the Patriot Guard, a group of men and women who serve as an escort for families at funerals of fallen armed forces members, protecting them from protestors.

The gals are all friends, sisters in a sense, and for each one it will be an unforgettable experience. They come with individual goals, questions and the passion to show the heroism of war veterans.

For 64-year-old Papin, the ‘mother’ of the group, the trip will be an opportunity to bring a new perspective of veterans, those who make America’s heart beat, she said.

Papin believes her daughter would have been excited about her going on the trip. Her daughter served eight years in the Army and died in 1997; her death was not combat related.

Papin said it was her idea to have her daughter enlist because she felt it would help her succeed in the future.

“I felt it would give her some great opportunities to become an independent young woman. Which it did,” she said.

Papin’s daughter served as manager at the Lake Elsinore Chamber of Commerce for a number of years.

She said the road trip and the experience ahead will at some point hit close to home, since everyone knows someone affected by war.

“The Civil War was selected as a starting point for our quest because in many ways it is reflected by our current times,” Papin said. “Not the war itself, but because of the divisiveness it brought to the nation.”

For Parrish, who will be the one behind the wheel, this trip is a quest to learn why the war has left our nation divided.

“I know there’s still a bitterness out there and some resentment for veterans. But I want to know what they felt when they came home,” she said of her hopes in talking with a veteran. “I want to know how they coped and did it cripple their life or get through it no problem.

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