As many readers know, this part of Florida is the home of EOD Warrior Foundation, a military supportive nonprofit based in Niceville. Because of that, the Foundation and the entire EOD Community gather in our area at least once a year to pay tribute to the 343 Men and Women honored on the EOD Memorial Wall on Eglin AFB. EOD Memorial Week kicks off with the EOD Memorial Challenge on Saturday, April 30th.
This year, the event is even more special, because it will be held in conjunction with a Carry The Load rally to honor all those lost. EOD Warrior Foundation has announced Carry The Load as its non-profit partner for the 2022 Memorial May campaign. This partnership creates a valuable collaboration between the Carry The Load’s Continuum of Care program and the EOD Warrior Foundation’s Pillars of Support programs. In addition, this partnership helps raise awareness and funds that are essential to helping our military, veterans, first responders and their families. “We are honored to partner with Carry The Load and their other non-profit partners to raise awareness and funds for such a worthy cause,” says Nicole Motsek, Executive Director of the EODWF.
Join the EOD Warrior Foundation and Carry The Load at the 2022 EOD Memorial Challenge on Saturday, April 30. All Memorial Challenge participants will ruck 4.5 miles, swim a half-mile, and then run another 3.2 miles through Eglin, Range Road, and Rocky Bayou. The course will be lined with 343 signs, each carrying the name, branch, and dates of an EOD Tech killed in action and being honored for their sacrifice on the EOD Memorial Wall that weekend. This event helps kick off the events of the EOD Memorial Week and will begin at the EOD Memorial at the EOD Schoolhouse on Eglin Air Force Base. It is open to the public and all who are interested in participating are welcome to register.
Supporters are also encouraged to join the EOD Warrior Foundation’s team at Carry The Load to raise funds and participate throughout the month of April and May. One hundred percent of funds raised through EOD Warrior Foundation’s team page now through Memorial Day will go directly back to the organization to provide much needed services for our veteran and first responder communities.
There are two ways to become involved:
Join and participate in the EOD Memorial Challenge! There are prizes for all ages levels, individuals, and team participation. The Top Team will be honored with their name engraved on a Trophy in the trophy case held on the Quarterdeck of NAVSCOLEOD. This event kicks off the most meaningful week of the year for the EOD Community and is held in honor of the 343 men and women killed in action. Each participant will be given a name and story of one of these EOD Techs to ‘carry’ during the challenge and the course will be lined with their pictures and stories, helping to fulfill the sacred vow of We Remember. Registration may be found here or on the EOD Warrior Foundation – Events page.
And, people of all ages can participate by walking with Carry The Load’s National Relay team, attending one of its 100 Rally locations, hosting a Carry It Anywhere event, organizing a youth Carry The Flag activity and fundraising for our nation’s heroes. “We exist to unite the country through one common purpose of honoring the lives of those who have gone before us,” says Stephen Holley, co-founder, president and CEO of Carry The Load and veteran U.S. Navy SEAL. “This spirit of collaboration among our non-profit partners helps improve the lives of so many today and for years to come.”
For more information, visit www.eodwarriorfoundation.org.
