Latest news with #memorialday
Yahoo
27-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Shepherd's Men march 12 miles to honor veterans, raise funds for SHARE program
The Brief The Shepherd's Men organization completed its annual Memorial Day 12-mile march from Canton to Woodstock, with a record turnout of about 60 people. They carried 150 pounds of beer to symbolize the burdens veterans face when they return home from war. The beer, specially brewed by Reformation Brewery, raises money for Shepherd Center's SHARE Military Initiative. Several graduates of the SHARE program participated in the march and credited the initiative with saving their lives. WOODSTOCK, Ga. - The group Shepherd's Men completed their annual 12-mile march through Cherokee County Monday to honor veterans and raise money for the SHARE military initiative. What we know Shepherd's Men had around 60 people gathered to conduct the march, their biggest turnout yet. The group started the march at the Reformation Brewery location in Canton and at the brewery in Woodstock. The group members took turns carrying two 75-pound kegs full of beer and a 150-pound sack of coffee beans. One of the founders of Shepherd's Men, Travis Ellis, says the burdens they carry are symbolic of the ones too many veterans carry with them. "A lot of people who return are not the same as when they deployed, who struggle with these injuries for months or years… they carry a heavy burden, so we can carry this weight today to symbolize the weight they carry and show them it's okay to not be okay," Ellis said. Iraq War veteran Jarrad Turner took part in the march and said he hopes veterans who see this will understand how vital it is to reach out for help. "To let our brothers and sisters and their families know and help them understand and know that, hey, look, you're not alone," Turner said. The backstory Shepherd's Men says they are doing this event to raise money for the Shepherd Center's SHARE Military Initiative. Which, according to Shepherd Center, provides comprehensive rehabilitation for service members and veterans with traumatic brain injuries and PTSD at no cost. Turner credits that program with saving his life. "If it honestly was not for the SHARE Military Initiative, I would not be here," Turner said. Turner is a graduate of the program and served two deployments to Iraq before being medically retired from serious injuries in 2010. He says that second deployment left him with scars both seen and unseen. "Four shoulder surgeries, two elbow surgeries, two surgeries on my jaw and I got flayed open by a piece of shrapnel…just to hold a spoon, a fork to feed myself. It was years and years of recovery. But that was the physical side, the invisible wounds of war are the things that really unfortunately are plaguing us," Turner said. He says SHARE Military Initiative is one of the only programs out there focused on Traumatic Brain Injuries (TBI) in vets. "The identifiers of suicidal ideation, it's actually Traumatic Brain Injury. The Shepherd Center has been on the forefront of that," Turner said. What's next The beer Shepherd's Men carried throughout the march, Clarity Lager, is specifically brewed by Reformation Brewery to raise money for the SHARE program. "One dollar of every pour and one dollar of every six-pack bought goes directly to the Shepherd's Men. Last year we were able to do a $10,000 donation. We're hoping to exceed that this year," said Spencer Nix, CEO and Founder of Reformation Brewery. Shepherd's Men says it's raised more than $11 million since 2014 when it was founded, which has enabled around 300 veterans to participate in the SHARE Military Initiative. SEE ALSO: Metro Atlanta honors those who died for their country on Memorial Day Roswell Rotary Club marks 26th year of honoring POWs, MIAs and the fallen Gwinnett County honors fallen soldiers at 22nd annual Memorial Day ceremony Widow honors fallen heroes with flowers at Georgia National Cemetery Memorial Day ceremonies, events in metro Atlanta, North Georgia | May 2025 The Source FOX 5's Eric Mock interviewed members of Shepherd's Men as they marched to honor veterans on Memorial Day. Additional information was also provided by Shepherd's Men and Reformation Brewery.
Yahoo
25-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Remembering the nation's heroes
beckley – 'The nation which forgets its defenders will be itself forgotten.' — Calvin Coolidge. The 20th anniversary of the LZRainelle Veterans Reunion in Rainelle is one of several events which will provide residents in the region opportunities to pay homage to those who have given their lives to protect the country's freedom. Also, the Raleigh County Veterans and First Responders Museum and the American Legion Post 32 Veterans Cemetery will be sites for several Memorial Day weekend events. The LZRainelle event commenced Thursday and will run through Monday, May 26. Run For The Wall is an organized cross-country motorcycle ride to honor veterans, their families and friends and to raise awareness of those still missing — Prisoners of War (POW) and Missing in Action (MIA). After the Run For The Wall riders arrived Thursday and spent some time with Rainelle Elementary students and members of the public, they continued their journey to the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington, D.C., according to Emma Michelinie, chair of the LZRainelle Veterans Reunion committee. But, that doesn't put an end to the Greenbrier County activities. Riders representing Task Force Omega (TFO) of Kentucky, which was part of the group that launched Run For The Wall in 1989, will remain in Rainelle the rest of the weekend and take part in events. TFO will hold a service at Ponderosa Lodge on Rte. 60 before they depart the area on Sunday. Other than the arrival and departure of the phalanx of riders Thursday, another prime highlight of the weekend in Rainelle was Friday night's anticipated candlelight memorial service at the Mountaineer Veterans Garden of Honor. In that scenario, thousands of flags, one representing each West Virginia soldier killed in action from World War I to present day, are displayed at the intersection of Rte. 60 and Rte. 20, on the hillside in front of Rainelle Medical Center. The display features about 1,000 solar lights, and organizers call it 'spectacular by day, serene by night.' It is on full display through Memorial Day. An annual parade will begin at noon Saturday in Rainelle, with lineup starting at 11 a.m. Entries will be accepted to the time of lineup. 'The more, the better,' said Michelinie. West Virginia Gold Star Mothers will lead the parade as grand marshals. The parade will be graded by a point system, with a grand prize being awarded to the most patriotic entry, as well as winners in each of eight categories. Money prizes will be awarded. Other Saturday highlights will include a Beckley Sno Biz food booth, music from Thomas Wayne Danley, Hidden Mountain Treasures and Goodson Boys, a bicycle contest, the annual murbles tournament and a fireworks display. Throughout the weekend, visitors to Rainelle are encouraged to view the Greenbrier County Gold Star Mothers' Living Memorial Apple Orchard on Simms Mountain Road (3290 Tincher Road, Rainelle, WV 25962). Michelinie said 'there's no words' to describe what the reunion weekend and activities mean to the community and to veterans and their families themselves. Locals continuing to put action behind their appreciation for those who have died defending their country is crucial, she said. LZRainelle was established in 2005. For more information on the schedule of events, visit • • • The Raleigh County Veterans and First Responders Museum (201 South Eisenhower Drive, Beckley, WV 25801) will be open over the Memorial Day weekend on Saturday, Sunday and Monday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. There will be many displays, as well as special guests and raffles for items and gifts. There is no admission cost; however, donations are appreciated. The schedules is as follows: • Saturday, May 24: Place flags on headstones at the Veterans Cemetery, 9 a.m.; museum open for visitors from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. • Sunday, May 25: Museum open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.; candlelight service at the Veterans Cemetery, 8 p.m. • Monday, May 26: Museum open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.; honor flags display, 12 p.m. Individuals can meet at the American Legion Post 32 Veterans Cemetery at 9 a.m. on Saturday to place flags on all of the headstones. Coffee, hot cocoa and doughnuts will be supplied. On Sunday, May 25, the candlelight service will be staged at the cemetery at 8 p.m. The event will feature a short concert of patriotic music by the Salvation Army's Beckley Brass Band. After the music, candlelights will be placed on each of the headstones. There is some seating, and refreshments will be provided. For information, call Ron Hedrick at 304-228-6939. Notes: • The Dandelion Festival in White Sulphur Springs will run through Sunday, May 25. The activities on Sunday will include a veterans luncheon at Paisley Park (12 to 1:30 p.m.), to be catered by The Schoolhouse Hotel, and a veterans memorial service on the Main Stage (2 to 3 p.m.). • The New River Gorge National Park and Preserve will open up the Thurmond Depot and the Grandview Visitor Center on Saturday, May 24, and both will be open through the Memorial Day weekend, according to a park spokesperson. Summer hours for both those facilities will be: Thurmond — 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., open Wednesday to Sunday; and Grandview — 12 to 5 p.m., open Friday to Sunday. Thurmond Depot tours will start next week at 11 a.m. on days the depot is open. There will also be afternoon talks at the Canyon Rim Visitor Center and pop-up programs at Sandstone and Grandview.
Yahoo
24-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Raleigh County Veterans and First Responders Museum to honor veterans for Memorial Day Weekend
BECKLEY, WV (WVNS) – The Raleigh County Veterans and First Responders Museum will be opening its doors the public for Memorial Day weekend. Less than a year after moving to its new location at the former State Police barracks in Beckley, the museum has brought in countless historical artifacts for display, many of which were donated by veterans locally and from around the country. Raleigh County Veterans and First Responders Museum President, Ron Hedrick told 59News he plans to eventually open the museum on a full-time basis, and that it is his hope the facility can be about more than just recognizing veterans and can be a direct resource for the veterans themselves.'We kind of hope that the museum will be like a beacon to veterans who just need a place to hang out,' he said. 'Maybe a place to unload, come and meet other veterans, hang out, talk, and have a cup of coffee – and maybe they'll find a home.'Hedrick and museum staff will be on-hand Saturday morning for the annual memorial service at the American Legion Veterans Cemetery at 9:00 a.m., after which the museum doors will open to the community at 10:00am to 5:00pm. Guests will be able to check out museum exhibits, grab a hotdog, and maybe even take home some prizes donated by local businesses as part of a raffle to benefit the museum. Folks are also welcome to attend a candlelight service at the American Legion Veterans Cemetery on Sunday night, where the Salvation Army Brass band will be putting on a performance of patriotic numbers. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Irish Daily Mirror
18-05-2025
- Politics
- Irish Daily Mirror
Annual Garda memorial day made ‘more poignant' by recent killing of colleague
This year's annual Garda memorial day was described as particularly poignant coming just days after the killing of an officer on duty. Garda Kevin Flatley died last Sunday after being struck by a motorcycle at a speed checkpoint in Co Dublin. President Michael D Higgins, Taoiseach Micheal Martin and Tanaiste Simon Harris were among the crowds of mourners who attended the funeral service for the 49-year-old married father-of-two in Balbriggan on Friday. On Saturday, Garda Flatley's parents were among those who attended the annual Garda memorial day at Dublin Castle. Minister for Justice Jim O'Callaghan described the day as "particularly poignant" following the recent loss of Garda Flatley. "My immediate thoughts are with his wife Una and their two children Aoife and Erin, his parents, his family and his friends," he said. "I offer my condolences again to them at this deeply sad time. "I also offer my condolences to the men and women Garda Flatley worked with in the roads policing division, and indeed all of his colleagues in the wider Garda family." He said Garda Flatley "typified the ethos of An Garda Siochana". "He worked in service of those he lived alongside," he said. "I am very conscious that Garda Flatley died doing what gardai do every day across the country, working to keep us all safe. His death is a stark reminder to all of us of the very real dangers involved in being a member of An Garda Siochana. "Today is an opportunity for us to remember and recognise the selflessness and bravery of those who are gone, the courageous members of An Garda Siochana who went to work one morning and tragically never came home, having been killed in the line of duty." Garda commissioner Drew Harris said he wanted to "particularly welcome" Garda Flatley's parents Michael and Breda to the service. "His tragic death serves as a stark reminder of the fragility of life and the dangers faced by gardai daily in the course of their duties. "It brings home to us all the grief and pain we feel as individuals, and collectively, having lost a loved one. "Very sadly our roll of honour now stands at 90 gardai. Soon Kevin's name will join the 89 other names etched on our Garda memorial here, and on each Garda memorial day when we gather here in these beautiful surroundings we will remember Kevin and all those killed in the line of duty. "Today we honour their service to this country, their commitment to making Ireland a safer place, their contribution to society and the state. "We pay tribute to their bravery and courage, their resilience in the face of adversity, their determination to face down danger to help others. Today we think of their sacrifice. "Their loss is felt as deeply now as the day they were taken from us."
