Collegiate Veterans Association Host Memorial Run
To date, 4,378 U.S. Soldiers have been killed in the war on Iraq since its commencement in 2003. To honor these fallen soldiers and support those still in the fight, FSU’s student organization, the Collegiate Veterans Association hosted its first annual “Run for the Fallen” 5k marathon on Saturday. Nearly 100 runners came out to show their support.
CVA’s Vice President, Staff Sergeant S. Martin, notes the significance the marathon’s date bears to the war on Iraq.
“We [wanted] to do it on the 20th of March because the 19th [marked] the seventh year anniversary of the war,” said the eight year military veteran.
This run was an all-inclusive event and the Collegiate Veterans Association, whose organizational objective is to provide a smoother transition for entering and current college veterans, made it a point not to discriminate against veterans of past wars.
“While the focus [was] on the [existing] war and the conflict in Afghanistan, we [didn’t] want to leave out the Vietnam and WWII Veterans in the community…we [didn’t] want to forget about any conflict,” said Martin, who also ran in the event.
Run for the Fallen originated in 2008 by John Bellona as a means to honor Michael Cleary, his friend and previous college roommate who had been killed in combat. This run inevitably turned into something even greater that would not only honor John’s good friend, but all of the 4,034 soldiers who had lost their lives at the time. Running from California to the Arlington National Cemetery, he and seven others ran a mile for each fallen soldier, placing an American flag, photograph, and biography of an American Soldier at each mile.
This was the “first time it’s been done in Tallahassee,” said Meredith McMackin, CVA’s Faculty Advisor. It was completely “apolitical, so it [didn’t make]any kind of political statement for or against [the war]. It strictly [honored] those that gave their lives.”
McMakin, who lost her son to the Iraq war in 2007, knew how important this run would be for all of those in the Tallahassee area.
This 5K was a way “to raise awareness, [to serve as] a reminder how the war has affected the community, both local people and FSU students,” McMackin said.
The run spanned across the FSU campus, beginning and ending at the Integration Statue on North Woodward Street.
There were members of the Military, Navy, Marines, Air Force and some ROTC students and teachers were at the event.
Students and resident runners of and outside the Tallahassee community came in remembrance of the fallen as well.
“My husband [served] thirty years in the Military,” said Elizabeth Payne, who traveled from Panama City Beach to participate.”My son and granddaughter are in the Military. My brother-in law was in the Military…I live for the Military.”
Although the distance of this 5K marathon was not as long as the original 4,034 miles, the runners were just as passionate about their support.
“I walked for three miles every day, seven days a week,” said seventy year old Payne, who completed the run in forty-five minutes.
For more information on the Run For the Fallen event, visit http://www.runforthefallen.org.
To date, 4,378 U.S. Soldiers have been killed in the war on Iraq since its commencement in 2003. To honor these fallen soldiers and support those still in the fight, FSU’s student organization, the Collegiate Veterans Association hosted its first annual “Run for the Fallen” 5k marathon on Saturday. Nearly 100 runners came out to show their support.
CVA’s Vice President, Staff Sergeant S.Martin, notes the significance the marathon’s date bears to the war on Iraq.
“We [wanted] to do it on the 20th of March because the 19th [marked] the seventh year anniversary of the war,” said the eight year military veteran.
This run was an all-inclusive event and the Collegiate Veterans Association, whose organizational objective is to provide a smoother transition for entering and current college veterans, made it a point not to discriminate against veterans of past wars.
“While the focus [was] on the [existing] war and the conflict in Afghanistan, we [didn’t] want to leave out the Vietnam and WWII Veterans in the community…we [didn’t] want to forget about any conflict,” SSG Martin said, who also ran in the event.
Run for the Fallen originated in 2008 by John Bellona as a means to honor Michael Cleary, his friend and previous college roommate who had been killed in combat. This run inevitably turned into something even greater that would not only honor John’s good friend, but all of the 4,034 soldiers who had lost their lives at the time. Running from California to the Arlington National Cemetery, he and seven others ran a mile for each fallen soldier, placing an American flag, photograph, and biography of an American Soldier at each mile.
This was the “first time it’s been done in Tallahassee,” said Meredith McMackin, CVA’s Faculty Advisor.It was completely “apolitical, so it [didn’t make]any kind of political statement for or against [the war]. It strictly [honored] those that gave their lives.”
McMakin, who lost her son to the Iraq war in 2007, knew how important this run would be for all of those in the Tallahassee area.
This 5k was a way “to raise awareness, [to serve as] a reminder how the war has affected the community, both local people and FSU students,” McMackin said.
The run spanned across the FSU campus, beginning and ending at the Integration Statue on North Woodward Street.
There were members of the Military, Navy, Marines, Air Force and some ROTC students and teachers were at the event.
Students and resident runners of and outside the Tallahassee community came in remembrance of the fallen as well.
“My husband [served] thirty years in the Military,” said Elizabeth Payne, who traveled from Panama City Beach to participate.”My son and granddaughter are in the Military. My brother-in law was in the Military…I live for the Military.”
Although the distance of this 5k marathon was not as long as the original 4,034 miles, the runners were just as passionate about their support.
“I walked for three miles every day, seven days a week,” said seventy year old Payne, who completed the run in forty-five minutes.
For more information on the Run For the Fallen event, visit http://www.runforthefallen.org.
