Run to honor and help soldiers
After Mary Ward found out her son would be going to the Middle East to serve a third tour of duty, she and two other social studies instructors at Western Alamance High School decided to organize a run to honor local soldiers.
"I think it's important for our students and our community to realize that whether you're for the war in Iraq or against it, you realize that these are our brothers and sisters that are giving their lives," said Nick Liversedge, one of the teachers.
Western Alamance High School Student Council will sponsor the "Run for the Fallen" event Aug. 23 to honor local men and women who have fought in Iraq and Afghanistan.
The run begins at 8:30 a.m. Registration is $20 for adults, $15 for students.
The money will benefit the Wounded Warrior Project, an organization that helps severely injured service members.
The local run takes its name from a national, nonpartisan event called Run for the Fallen. On June 14 a team of runners began running across America from Fort Irwin, Calif., making its way to Arlington National Cemetery. The group is running one mile for every service member killed in Operation Iraqi Freedom.
Mackintosh, a housing development in Burlington, will co-sponsor the event and is opening the clubhouse and pool to participants of the Aug. 23 run.
"We are honored to partner with the local high school to assist in remembering these brave men and women," said Dawn Forrest, director of marketing for Wakefield Development Company, which built Mackintosh. "The natural landscape and miles of sidewalk at Mackintosh make the community the ideal place to hold a benefit run of this magnitude."
To register, call Nick Liversedge at (616) 308-7382 or e-mail nick.liversedge@gmail.com.
Contact Jamie Kennedy Jones at jamie.kennedy@news-record.com or 449-4610.
