Marine Feted Before Returning to Middle East

The Warriors' Watch Riders gathered Saturday to greet Marine Sgt. Tim Byland, who served twice in Iraq between 1999 and 2003 as an enlisted serviceman and now is being sent to Afghanistan as a Marine reservist.

The group met at the Ace Hardware store in Minooka to create a flag line and to escort Byland to a party at the home of his parents, Steve and Patty Byland.

The event was orchestrated at the request of Byland's parents and his cousins, Matthew and Stacey Stofko, who are members of the Plainfield Emergency Management Agency.

Tim Byland is a graduate of Minooka Community High School.

These photos were taken by Heidi Kelly, of Plainfield, also a member of PEMA.