Organizations give back in memory of the fallen heroes of 9-11

GRAFTON—As a way to help honor the lives lost on September 11, 2001, two area organizations teamed up to help clean the headstones at one of Taylor County’s national cemeteries. Volunteers from the United Way of Marion and Taylor Counties and Pierpont Community and Technical college met at approximately 9:00 a.m. on Wednesday morning, to participate in a service project that extended well beyond Grafton’s borders. According to Brian K. Barnes, Director of the Grafton and West Virginia National Cemeteries, the project is just one of many being held nationwide between the National Cemetery Association and the Carry The Load organization. Carry The Load is a non-profit organization that provides an active way to connect Americans to the sacrifices made daily by military, veterans, first responders and their families, according to the organization’s website, www.carrytheload.org. “What started in 2011 as a mission to restore the true meaning of Memorial Day has now grown to honoring our nation’s heroes 365 days a year,” the website states. During the morning and into the early afternoon, volunteers armed with buckets and scrub brushes worked to clean the over 1,250 headstones in the cemetery. “These are just a few of the nearly 1,700 volunteers taking part in headstone cleaning and beautification projects in approximately 40 national cemeteries, nationwide,” Barnes noted. Vincent Marroquin, a volunteer with the United Way, said that the project was a little extra special for him. “Both my mom and dad are veterans, both serving in the Army. I heard about it through the VA, that they were doing a national campaign,” he shared. “I emailed the Carry The Load Foundation and they told me they were trying to get this done here today.” He said he believed it was a perfect way to help honor the day. Marroquin, who comes from an extensive military background, revealed that both his grandparents and parents met in the military. “I feel like the military has given me everything in my life, and it is really important to honor people, especially today,” he said. Raven Thomas, with Pierpont, reported that the college regularly receives updates from the Department of Veterans Affairs, and they were notified about the opportunity to take part in the special service project. “We thought it was a great opportunity for our students to come out and help acquire volunteer hours for the WV Invest Grant,” said Thomas. “We thought we would team up to join our fellow community members and invite our students to participate.” Jonetta Collins shared that she believes it is important to give back to community. “I think we should never forget those who have sacrificed everything for us to have what we have today. I am honored to be a part of this,” Collins expressed. “You think that we are just cleaning headstones, but when you really think about it, what we are doing is actually awesome.” She added that she believes that this particular community service project gives participants an opportunity to think about each individual placed beneath the stones. “With every headstone I clean, I get chills because it makes me remember that they truly gave everything for us,” she commented. “It is actually really important to get involved like this.” If you would like to learn more about Carry The Load, please log on to www.carrytheload.org.

El Paso first responders, community commemorate 9/11 victims with ceremonies, service

EL PASO, Texas (KFOX14/CBS4) — The Borderland continues to pay its respects on this 18th anniversary of the September 11 attacks. Wednesday morning, down in the lower valley — community leaders gathered at Fire Station 18 to lay a wreath at the 9/11 memorial, to remember all of those who died at the World Trade Center, the Pentagon and aboard United Flight 93 that crashed in a Pennsylvania field. They also gathered to continue to pay their respects for the sacrifices made by first responders that day.During the ceremony, Fire Chief Mario D’Agostino, Police Chief Greg Allen, Sheriff Richard Wiles, and City Officials presented a wreath at the memorial. For some El Pasoans, this Patriots Day is different than the last 17. “Carry The Load” is a volunteer group that was at Fort Bliss National Cemetery Wednesday morning scrubbing and shining many of the veterans’ headstones. They did so as a way to pay their respects to those lost 18 years ago during the September 11 attacks. Between 100 and 150 volunteers chose to come out and clean off many of the headstones of the fallen heroes. Stacey James with “Carry the Load” says this is a way for the volunteers to show the loved one of the fallen — that their memory will live on for generations to come because they paid the ultimate sacrifice. “We’ve buried a lot of military members here since 9/11 who after seeing 9/11, raised their right hand and chose to take the fight across the seas to ensure another 9/11 doesn’t happen,” James said. It’s a somber Patriots Day that affects El Pasoans differently this year compared to others because of the mass shooting at the Cielo Vista Walmart on August 3. Allen said it’s different when your community experiences violence to that magnitude. “When you’re on the ground with something tragic, it stays with you because pictures, even though they capture potential carnage, it’s it’s not the same when you’re there. So, when you first-hand experience something, it has more impact and more lasting staying power with you,” Allan said. El Paso County Sheriff's Office and other law enforcement agencies were among those at a 9/11 memorial ceremony at the Old Glory Memorial Wednesday.

D-Day 75 years later: Former Army chopper pilot reflects

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In its ninth year, Carry the Load event raises money for veteran assistance programs, honors the fallen

When you've lost a loved one in the military, every day is Memorial Day. Carry the Load continues to ask the rest of us to remember at least this one day each year.

DALLAS — When you've lost a loved one in the military, every day is Memorial Day.

The Carry the Load organization, now in its ninth year, continues to be the biggest event in North Texas. It asks all of us to be reverent on at least this one day of the year.

As is the custom at the Carry the Load event, held each Memorial Day weekend in Reverchon Park, a field of American flags lined the grass near the west end of the park.

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Continúa ‘Carry the Load’ en Dallas, la reconocida movilización para rendir homenaje a los héroes caídos

UNIVISION, 27 May 2019 – 3:18 PM EDT

Este lunes se conmemora en Estados Unidos la fiesta de Memorial Day, y en la ciudad rinden tributo a quienes han entregado sus vidas sirviendo a la nación, con un recorrido de 11 millas durante todo mayo, tres rutas diarias y una bandera que se transfiere cada cinco millas.