Memorial Day

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By: Travis Hairgrove

VA News

April 24, 2024

GlobeNewswire

April 17, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE)

Heroes on the Water is proud to announce it will be a Carry The Load non-profit partner for the 2024 Memorial May campaign. Carry The Load is a non-profit that provides active ways to connect Americans to the sacrifices of our military, veterans, first responders, and their families. Together, we will kick off Memorial May on Monday, April 29th.

"In the spirit of remembrance, Heroes on the Water will once again join Carry The Load to focus on the true meaning of Memorial Day this May. Together we will pay homage to those who made the ultimate sacrifice, granting us unparalleled freedoms. We are excited to announce that we will be hosting a new kayaking leg in Fort Worth, where participants will paddle alongside the marchers on the Trinity River.” - Neil Mullaney, Col (Ret) USAF, Heroes on the Water Executive Director.

As one of Carry the Load’s non-profit partners since 2011, the team at Heroes on the Water is excited to provide an opportunity for people to participate in the Fort Worth relay in a different yet still meaningful way. The kayak event will take place on a half mile route along the Trinity River in Fort Worth, Texas. We will paddle along with the relay marchers with the conclusion to take place at the Fort Worth Police and Firefighters Memorial rally. This route is appropriate for all ages and skill levels. There are opportunities to participate and volunteer. More details and sign up can be found on the Heroes on the Water Ambassador Eventbrite page.  Participation is limited so consider signing up early.

Supporters are encouraged to join any of our Heroes on the Water teams and raise funds for our local and national team throughout the month of May.

“The funds we raise through our Carry The Load teams across the country, provide additional resources for healing and wellness to our veterans, first responders and their families. Together, let us extend our support to these heroes fostering solace and renewal in their journey towards healing,” says Mullaney.

How to get involved:

• People of all ages can donate to any of our teams or attend a relay at a location near them.
  Join national team or Join a local team.
• Join us on the water at our Fort Worth kayaking event (space is limited)
• Join us at the Dallas Memorial March.

“Since the first Carry The Load event on Memorial Day in 2011, we’ve collaborated with like-minded organizations to help strengthen each other’s mission,” says Stephen Holley, co-founder, president and CEO of Carry The Load and veteran U.S. Navy SEAL. “It's truly inspiring to see the positive impact our collaboration with Heroes on the Water has had on the lives of so many people over the years.”

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ABOUT HEROES ON THE WATER
Founded in 2007, Heroes on the Water is a 501(c)3 non-profit that provides recreational wellness experiences to veterans, first responders and their families. Our primary modality is kayak fishing which has proven cognitive and emotional benefits. These programs incorporate structured activities in a pressure-free environment creating opportunities for community building and personal healing. Our participants receive much needed camaraderie and support.  HeroesontheWater.org | Operation Early Impact Study | Success Stories

ABOUT CARRY THE LOAD
Carry The Load is a 501(c)3 nonprofit founded in 2011 by veteran U.S. Navy SEALs Clint Bruce and Stephen Holley. Carry The Load's mission is to provide active ways to connect Americans to the sacrifices made by our military, veterans, first responders, and their families. It focuses on three outreach programs: Awareness, Continuum of Care, and Education. For more, visit www.carrytheload.org | Media Resources

Laura Lindsey
Heroes On The Water
214-295-4541
laura.lindsey@heroesonthewater.org

BusinessWire

Henry Schein, Inc. (Nasdaq: HSIC) today announced that for the third consecutive year it is supporting the Carry The Load® Memorial May campaign, a month-long Memorial Day awareness program providing active ways to connect Americans to the sacrifices made by the U.S. military, veterans, first responders, and their families.

“Team Schein looks forward to participating in Carry The Load events this May in recognition of the individuals who have served and are currently serving our country”

Since 2022, Team Schein has walked throughout the country to honor and remember the nation’s fallen heroes. For a recap of last year’s rally at Henry Schein’s Corporate Headquarters in Melville, click here.

As a national sponsor, Henry Schein is supporting activities being held across the U.S. during May through its businesses and corporate organizations. The participating businesses include North American Rescue (NAR), Henry Schein Dental, Henry Schein Medical, and Henry Schein One, joined by Henry Schein Cares, the Company’s global corporate social responsibility program, and Henry Schein’s Veterans Engagement Team (VET) Employee Resource Group. Additionally, the businesses will once again sponsor the flagship event, the Dallas Memorial March, a two-day celebration of heroes, remembrance of the fallen, and education in respectful observance of Memorial Day.

“Team Schein looks forward to participating in Carry The Load events this May in recognition of the individuals who have served and are currently serving our country,” said Stanley M. Bergman, Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer of Henry Schein. “As a Company with many Team Schein Members who fulfilled military duties, we value the contributions service members bring to our organizations, families, and communities. It is important that on this Memorial Day, we pause and remember the men and women who have made the ultimate sacrifice to protect the freedoms we enjoy each day.”

Beginning on April 29, 2024, Team Schein Members around the country will walk in the National Relay, attend community events, and fundraise for the nation’s heroes. Henry Schein Cares, NAR, Henry Schein Dental, Henry Schein Medical, and Henry Schein One will sponsor the following community events and the Dallas Memorial March:

• May 1, 2024 – Melville, New York
• May 4, 2024 – Reno/Sparks, Nevada
• May 9, 2024 – Chicago, Illinois
• May 11, 2024 – Greer, South Carolina
• May 26 - 27, 2024 – Dallas, Texas

“Giving back to the communities we serve is an important part of our Team Schein culture,” said Ron South, Executive Sponsor of Henry Schein’s Veterans Engagement Team, and Chief Financial Officer. “Having the opportunity to walk throughout the month, in honor of our nation’s heroes, exemplifies the Company’s spirit of volunteerism, and we are delighted to be involved in this initiative.”

Carry The Load is a non-profit organization founded more than a decade ago as a grassroots effort by two veteran U.S. Navy SEALs to restore the true meaning of Memorial Day and to raise awareness of the sacrifices surrounding men and women in uniform. Its Memorial May initiative was created to honor and remember the people who died while serving in the U.S. military.

“Seeing Team Schein join us in support of the Memorial May campaign for consecutive years further highlights our shared values and dedication to honoring our nation’s heroes,” said Stephen Holley, Co-founder, President, and Chief Executive Officer of Carry The Load. “Together, we continue to ensure the legacies of our service members and their families endure.”

Henry Schein’s participation in the Carry The Load program aligns with the Company’s ongoing support of veterans and service members. For example, VET, its Employee Resource Group for veterans and members of the Armed Forces, was created to unify veterans, their families, and Team Schein Members by fostering camaraderie, providing recruitment and advocacy for service members, and giving back to the community. VET helps to establish a forum for members to engage, collaborate, develop, and address the unique issues that veterans face, as well as assist in the Company’s outreach to veteran communities to enhance recruitment and onboarding efforts, and support Henry Schein's corporate citizenship philosophy through community engagement.

The Company is also a DOD SkillBridge authorized organization, providing service members with opportunities to enhance various skills through Henry Schein externships. Additionally, NAR, a Henry Schein Medical business, is a leading provider of survivability and casualty-care medical products to the defense and public safety markets.

For more information about the Carry The Load Memorial May campaign and to register for an event, please click here. For more information on Henry Schein’s Diversity & Inclusion efforts, please click here.

Rockland County Times

by: rctadmin

On April 29, 2024, Clarkstown will once again be host to the annual Carry The Load relay, a truly special event that everyone should consider attending. Our great nation only exists because of the brave men and women who fought to establish and protect the freedoms we all enjoy today. Dating back to the Revolutionary War, over 650,000 U.S. military personnel have died in combat and over 540,000 more have died in service. The Carry The Load flag relay was created to serve as a reminder that the true meaning of Memorial Day is to honor the memory and sacrifice of these heroes.

With the tremendous help of Congers resident Sean Magee, the Town of Clarkstown is blessed to be a part of this moving and powerful tradition put together by Carry The Load, a national veteran’s organization. The not-for-profit’s founding goal has since expanded to additionally honor those in law enforcement who have paid the ultimate sacrifice while serving our local communities. The organization’s primary event is an annual relay walk of the American flag, which travels 2,100 miles from West Point to Texas.The event became so popular that it was expanded to seven flag walks spanning the entire country. Each of these walks culminates in Austin, Texas at a park adjacent to the Carry the Load headquarters on Memorial Day. Clarkstown is very fortunate to be one of the locations where a relay exchange of the flag occurs, right in downtown Congers. We have built an event complete with a relay march into the Congers Train Station, a scholarship and wreath laying ceremony, and a community BBQ. Each year hundreds of residents including Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts,

Little Leagues, veterans, and elected officials march with Carry the Load team members from Old Haverstraw Road into the Congers Train Station Park. It is always heartwarming to see so many families bring their children out to remember and honor our true heroes. The event is a great opportunity to teach future generations about Memorial Day and the ultimate sacrifice many have made.

To coincide with the event, Sean Magee and Anchor Trading sponsor a $5,000 scholarship contest asking High School seniors, “What does Memorial Day mean to you?” Each year we receive dozens of well-prepared essays from students. The Scholarship Committee is always impressed with the sincerity of the students’ essays, and their understanding of the true meaning of Memorial Day. The deadline to submit essays to my office is April 22, 2024.

On a personal note, my father was a veteran who served in Korea and passed away in 2000. Like many veterans, he didn’t talk much about his time in the service. He came home having survived the horrors of combat and worked to build a family and life. I have always been so proud of him. I am thankful to honor him and the many other veterans in our Town that I have had the privilege to know, at this event. We are fortunate that these veterans returned home, but many others did not.

The Congers rally reminds me why Clarkstown is such a special place to live. I am proud to see us all come together each year to honor our heroes in this way. Along with this year’s ceremony, residents can view the newly reconstructed war memorial at the corner of Lake Road and Burnside Avenue. The famous Congers “cannon” was restored and the crumbling concrete base was completely overhauled to create a beautiful new monument to our nation’s veterans, with special recognition to Lt. Raymond B. Jauss, for whom the original monument was built. Lt. Jauss was killed in action in 1918 while serving in Europe during World War I and was posthumously awarded the Distinguished Service Cross by Congress for his heroism.

Thank you to all the volunteers, Anchor Trading, BRIDGES of Rockland County, the Congers VMA, Congers, Valley Cottage, and New City Fire Departments, the Clarkstown Police Honor Guard and Police Auxiliary, Town of Clarkstown staff, U.S. Marine Corp League of Rockland County, Rockland County Vietnam Veterans, and the Nam Knights, all for participating in and helping to organize the event.

The Cross Timbers Gazette

by: Mark Smith

Denton County Emergency Services District No. 1 (formerly the Argyle Fire District) invited the community to join its members at its Second Annual “Carry The Load” event in May.

Like last year, Denton County ESD No. 1 will be partnering with Carry The Load – a nonprofit organization founded by Veteran U.S. Navy SEALs that supports first responders and veterans and aims to restore the true meaning of Memorial Day. Its mission is to provide active ways to honor American heroes and raise funds to provide services to first responders, veterans and their families, including some ESD personnel and neighboring first responders.

As part of the event, participants will take part in a 6-mile walk from Lantana to Station 511, according to an ESD news release. Those interested in participating can register to walk on the ESD’s team here under the team name “Spirit Squad.” Participants can also jump in or end at any point along the route, or just meet at the end at Station 511. Marty B’s is located on the route and will be providing refreshments and support. The route also passes by the home of a Gold Star family. Refreshments and family-friendly fun will be provided at Station 511 after the walk ends.

Walkers who are veterans/first responders are encouraged to wear their full fire/police/armed forces gear during the route to represent the “load they carry” for Memorial Day. Like last year, the ESD’s fire chief, Ricky Vaughan, will be walking in his full gear.