Run for the Fallen
heroes named
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July 21, 2011 |
 On August 20, people from around the region
and across the nation will
gather at 7:45 a.m. at the Veteran's Memorial at
the Boundary County Library, and after a brief
prayer, a reading of the names of the fallen
soldiers being honored and a 21 gun salute,
they'll run or walk all or part of a
44-kilometer route, going along the Kootenai
River to Crossport, then traveling back to the
Kootenai National Wildlife Refuge and then back
to town.
At each kilometer, a sign will be posted bearing
a fallen soldier's picture and biography, each
of whom is from or who has ties to Idaho, and
each of whom laid down their life in service to
the United States while serving in our nation's
latest wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.
This will be the first Run For the Fallen to
take place in Idaho.
The first Run for the Fallen took place in 2008
when a group of dedicated runners ran from Fort
Irwin, California, to Arlington National
Cemetery in Washington, D.C., running one mile
for every soldier, sailor, Marine and Airman who
died in Operations Enduring Freedom through New
Dawn to that date ... they who've fallen in service to our
country since the attacks on our nation on
September 11, 2001.
The goal of those first runners was to have all
50 states participate in a run or walk of
remembrance during the same weekend in August.
Last year, 7,600 runners in 45 states covered a
distance of 44,347 miles. This year, Idaho adds
another state to the list, and more miles to the
final tally. You can learn more about the
national effort at
www.runforthefallen.org.
Run for the Fallen Idaho is a tribute run,
inspired by that national run, and the
culmination of an effort by two Bonners Ferry
women who found comfort and solace in the
camaraderie of the families of the fallen who
found strength in one another.
Bernadette Kirk-Bonner and Jessica Tingley are
the mother and sister of Army Sergeant Joshua
Kirk, who laid down his life October 3, 2009, in
Kamdesh, Afghanistan, fighting for this nation's
cause in Operation Enduring Freedom, one of
eight soldiers in his unit to die that day. Both
women traveled to Maine last year, where Josh
was born before the family moved to Bonners
Ferry and where he returned to attend college
until deciding to volunteer in the nation's
Armed Forces, where they participated in their
first Run for the Fallen.
On short notice, with little to no budget, they
began building interest in a Run for the
Fallen here, and their efforts have steadily
gained notice, garnering the support of local
officials, local veterans, some of them serving
in Iraq right now, and the support of the
families of those who remained at home, tending
to the day-to-day challenges of life on their
own, bearing the added burden of not knowing for
certain if that member of their family would
ever come home again, or come home whole.
Those who serve are by no means the only ones
who pay a price ... so, too, do those who love
them and see them off.
On August 20, Boundary County will Run for the
Fallen, and no doubt be joined by the families
of the fallen from across the country. Here are
the Fallen to whom this first Idaho run is
dedicated:
|
Kilometer |
Name of
the Fallen |
Date of
Death |
| 1 |
Lieutenant
Commander Ron Vauk |
September 11,
2001 |
| 2 |
Major Gregory
Stone |
March 22, 2003 |
| 3 |
Corporal
Richard Carl |
May 9, 2003 |
| 4 |
Specialist
Robert Benson |
November 5,
2003 |
| 5 |
Private First
Class Jerrick Petty |
December 10,
2003 |
| 6 |
Private First
Class Cleston Raney |
March 31, 2004 |
| 7 |
Private First
Class Christopher Reed |
July 10, 2004 |
| 8 |
Specialist
Brandon Titus |
August 17, 2004 |
| 9 |
Captain Alan
Rowe |
September 3,
2004 |
| 10 |
Captain Luke
Wullenwaber |
November 16,
2004 |
| 11 |
Staff Sergeant
Darren Van Komen |
December 21,
2004 |
| 12 |
Kelly Morris |
March 30, 2005 |
| 13 |
Staff Sergeant
John Ogburn III |
May 22, 2005 |
| 14 |
Specialist
Carrie French |
June 5, 2005 |
| 15 |
Lance Corporal
Dustin Birch |
June 9, 2005 |
| 16 |
Sergeant Ivan
Alacorn |
November 17,
2005 |
| 17 |
Private First
Class Jacob Alcott |
April 22, 2006 |
| 18 |
Sergeant Jeremy
King |
August 24, 2006 |
| 19 |
Specialist
James "Dougie" Bridges |
November 4,
2006 |
| 20 |
Specialist Jame
Riekena |
January 14,
2007 |
| 21 |
Sergeant James
Holtom |
February 8,
2007 |
| 22 |
Private First
Class Raymond Werner |
February 8,
2007 |
| 23 |
Sergeant Ross
Clevenger |
February 8,
2007 |
| 24 |
Sergeant
Emerson Brand |
March 15, 2007 |
| 25 |
Petty Officer
Curtis R. Hall |
April 6, 2007 |
| 26 |
Private First
Class John Borbonus |
April 12, 2007 |
| 27 |
Staff Sergeant
Coby Schwab |
May 3, 2007 |
| 28 |
Corporal Kelly
B. Grothe |
May 3, 2007 |
| 29 |
Sergeant Blake
Stephens |
May 8, 2007 |
| 30 |
Major Bradly
Conner |
May 9, 2007 |
| 31 |
Private First
Class Charles Hester |
May 26, 2007 |
| 32 |
Private Shane
M. Stimson |
June 23, 2007 |
| 33 |
Specialist Adam
Davis |
July 23, 2007 |
| 34 |
Sergeant Nick
Gummersall |
August 6, 2007 |
| 35 |
Specialist
Vincent Kamka |
October 4, 2007 |
| 36 |
Major Stuart
Adam Wolfer |
April 6, 2008 |
| 37 |
Sergeant
Michael Lilly |
April 7, 2008 |
| 38 |
Corporal
Jessica A. Ellis |
May 11, 2008 |
| 39 |
Specialist
Randy Neff |
July 22, 2009 |
| 40 |
Sergeant Joshua
J. Kirk |
October 3, 2009 |
| 41 |
Chief Warrant
Officer 2 Mathew Heffelfinger |
November 8,
2009 |
| 42 |
Lance Corporal
Cody Roberts |
August 31, 2010 |
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There's little doubt that our latest fallen
heroes, Sergeant Nathan Byers and Specialist
Nicholas Newby, will be honored as well, even
though the pain of their loss is still so fresh to
those who loved them.
Those who participate in Idaho's Run for the
Fallen don't have to run the entire course, you
can run as far or little as you wish. A rally
point will be set up at the end of the course so
everyone who particpates can finish as a group.
There is no fee to participate, and you don't
have to run to take part ... volunteers are much
needed!
To learn more about Idaho's first Run for the
Fallen, visit
http://www.runforthefallenidaho.org. For a
map of the route,
click here. To take part ... as a
runner, a family member or a volunteer,
click here. To follow all the
latest developments, visit
The Run For The Fallen Facebook page,
and be sure to "like" the page to keep
up with all the latest news.
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