Ninety-one cities are launching Freedom Walks to honor our troops. If you're receiving this ping there's at least one in your state. See this thread or use the interactive map here.!
"Global reach, baby! Let's go give 'em some air support!"
Posted on 08/29/2006 3:36:26 PM PDT by bnelson44
America Supports You Freedom Walks In 91 Cities, New National Tradition Emerges To Commemorate 9/11
WASHINGTON – America Supports You Freedom Walks continue to grow across the nation with 91 cities in 41 states signing on to commemorate the victims and families of Sept. 11 and to honor veterans, past and present.
Freedom Walks, a new national tradition and opportunity for citizens to come together to recognize and remember the tragic Sept. 11 attacks on New York City, Shanksville, Pa. and the Pentagon, are being embraced by cities large and small. They are being organized by grassroots efforts, through schools and universities, and with the aid and support of civic leaders, veterans groups, non-profit organizations, universities and citizens from both rural and metropolitan communities. America Supports You is a Department of Defense outreach program that showcases Americans’ support of the men and women of the Armed Forces and communicates that support to military members, at home and abroad.
Honolulu, Hawaii, the latest city to make plans to honor the fallen of Sept. 11, will host a Freedom Walk in association with the Honolulu Pearl Outrigger Canoe Club and the Outdoor Circle, a garden club that lost a member on board one of the planes on Sept. 11. In addition to walking, the Outdoor Circle will plant a tree in memory of those who lost their lives that day. St. Louis walkers will unite by wearing yellow t-shirts and forming a human, yellow ribbon in the middle of Anheuser-Busch Sports Center as a visible demonstration of patriotism and support for our troops, past and present.
Another recent addition to the Freedom Walks, Tampa, Fla., will invite participants to convene at Legends Field, the training field of the New York Yankees, to circle the bases and the stadium to remember the victims of Sept. 11 and their families. Following the opening ceremony and a musical tribute from a local marching band, a color guard will lead walkers in their recognition of the victims and will be joined by a 9/11 family member and local military members who have recently returned from serving overseas. The American Legion in Laguna Woods, Calif. will begin their Freedom Walk at their Veterans Memorial carrying a 12-ft. banner that reads: NEVER FORGET. After the walk, the banner will be hung outside city hall.
Freedom Walks are providing opportunities for citizens everywhere to publicly remember the events of Sept. 11, resulting in a broad, national tribute with new communities joining the list of those hosting Freedom Walks every day. Walks are already planned in nine different California cities and communities, while six walks are planned in both Texas and Virginia and five walks in both Indiana and Florida.
Other recently added cities hosting Freedom Walks include Anchorage, Alaska; Antioch, Calif.; Central Union ISD, Calif.; Laguna Woods, Calif.; Simi Valley, Calif.; Lakeland, Ga.; Newnan, Ga.; Fort Wayne, Ind.; Henryville, Ind.; Indianapolis, Ind.; Hays, Kan.; Denham Springs, La.; Eastport, Maine; Brockton, Mass.; Constantine, Mich.; Surgoinsville, Tenn.; Uvalde, Texas; and Lakewood, Wash.
“Watching the Freedom Walk grow to be embraced by all these dozens of communities, cities and schools across the country has been such a touching display of patriotism and really speaks to the spirit of the American people. And although every Freedom Walk is shaping up to be its own, unique event, every walk is bounded by the same spirit and motivation: to honor those who perished on Sept. 11 and to recognize the sacrifices and work of veterans, past and present,” said Allison Barber, Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense and architect of the America Supports You program.
City officials and civic leaders are joined by thousands of individuals, organizations and public and private entities nationwide who are banding together in dozens of communities to establish the Freedom Walk as a new national tradition of patriotic support. In Sebring, Ohio, 9-year-old Colton Lockner is organizing a Freedom Walk for the town’s nearly 5,000 residents while in Killeen, Texas, the Killeen Independent School District is hosting a Freedom Walk on every one of its fifty campuses including elementary schools, middle schools and high schools. In addition to Killeen’s commitment to commemorating the victims of Sept. 11, the Ft. Hood community will host a separate Freedom Walk at the local high school stadium. Plans for a Freedom Walk in Oklahoma City, Okla. are well underway, with pledged participation from Gov. Brad Henry and former Gov. Frank Keating along with musical performances by The Great Divide and Luke Stricklin, a recently signed country artist and Iraq war veteran who is now touring the country.
The second annual Washington, D.C. Freedom Walk will commence on Sunday, Sept. 10 at 6:30 p.m. on the National Mall and will proceed to the Pentagon ending near the crash site and the location of the future Pentagon Memorial. Concluding the Freedom Walk, noted Opera singer mezzo-soprano Denyce Graves will perform a musical tribute. Graves is well remembered as performing “America the Beautiful” and “Lord’s Prayer” at the Washington National Cathedral during the memorial service honoring the victims of Sept. 11 on Sept. 14, 2001.
Cities already planningFreedom Walksinclude Lincoln, Ala.; Peoria, Ariz.; Yuma, Ariz.; Corona, Calif.; Huntington Beach, Calif.; Modesto, Calif.; Sacramento, Calif.; San Diego, Calif.; Aurora/Denver, Colo.; Rowayton, Conn.; Belleview, Fla.; Deltona, Fla.; Inverness, Fla.; Safety Harbor, Fla.; Atlanta, Ga.; Ft. Stewart, Ga.; Chicago, Ill.; Crawfordsville, Ind.; Munster, Ind.; Cedar Rapids, Iowa; Milo, Iowa; Ft. Riley, Kan.; Louisville, Ky.; Aberdeen, Md.; Annapolis, Md.; Dearborn, Mich.; Appleton City, Mo.; Kansas City, Mo.; Bellevue, Neb.; Las Vegas, Nev.; White Sands Missile Range, N.M.; Grand Forks, N.D.; Enid, Okla.; Northgate, Pa.; Oxford, Pa.; Bishop, Texas; El Paso, Texas; Ft. Hood/Killeen, Texas; Plano, Texas; San Antonio, Texas; Salt Lake City, Utah; the cities of Chesapeake, Poquoson, Hampton, Norfolk, Portsmouth and Virginia Beach in Virginia; La Crosse, Wis.; Milwaukee, Wis.; and Sandfork, W.Va.
The first AmericaSupports YouFreedom Walk, held last year in the nation’s capital, brought together more than 15,000 walkers including family members of the victims of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, members of Congress, administration officials, federal employees, corporate representatives, civic organizations and citizens from across the country.
About America Supports You America Supports You is an ongoing, nationwide program of the Department of Defense that helps showcase Americans’ support for the men and women of the Armed Forces and their families. Since its launch in November of 2004, the America Supports You program has welcomed more than 225 grassroots organizations and more than 25 corporations to its team. Many America Supports You team members support the troops through letter writing, assembling care packages, helping the wounded when they return home, assisting military families or sending e-mails or kind gestures. To learn more about how you can support military personnel, please visit www.AmericaSupportsYou.mil.
Media: To arrange an interview with an America Supports You Freedom Walk spokesperson or for more information about the nationwide initiative, please contact Michelle Shortencarrier at 202-615-7152, or 703-401-1862 or e-mailher at michelle@asyfreedomwalk.com.
Bump
Ninety-one cities are launching Freedom Walks to honor our troops. If you're receiving this ping there's at least one in your state. See this thread or use the interactive map here.!
"Global reach, baby! Let's go give 'em some air support!"
BUMP
Ninety-one cities are launching Freedom Walks to honor our troops. If you're receiving this ping there's at least one in your state. See this thread or use the interactive map here.!
"Global reach, baby! Let's go give 'em some air support!"
Ninety-one cities are launching Freedom Walks to honor our troops. There are none in Delaware or Vermont currently, but you almost certainly live within striking distance of one in another state. See the interactive map here.
"Global reach, baby! Let's go give 'em some air support!"
Thanks for the ping.
BUMP!
I'll be there!
Thanks for the heads up!
BTTT
AMD and I are starting our freedom drive on the 10th. We are going to visit our son before he heads out to Iraq.
It's easy for me to say up here in the Land of Lincoln, but I'd suggest San Antonio. With two Air Force bases, a major Army base and Brooke Army Medical center in town, you will have a "target rich environment" for your thank yous. And I can tell you from personal experience, the AF basic trainees getting town pass will treasure the boost you're giving them.
I'll be at the one in D.C., manning the display table for www.marineparents.com!
Chicago info:
http://www.cityofchicago.org/webportal/COCWebPortal/COC_EDITORIAL/2006ChicagoFreedomWalk.pdf
Knew you would be!
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