1. 4701 Shore Dr.
Suite 103, PMB 251
Virginia Beach, VA, 23455
contact@carrytheload.org
TENNESSEE RESIDENTS TO LEAD 1,700-MILE NATIONAL RELAY TO HONOR VETERANS AND
THEIR SURVIVING FAMILIES
Nashville, TN. (May 16, 2012) – As Memorial Day approaches, Carry The Load, a group founded by former
Navy Seals is on a mission to bring back the true meaning of the holiday—honoring the men and women
who gave their last full service for our nation. To remind America that Memorial day is about more than
cookouts and trips to the lake, Carry the Load has set out on a 1,700 mile relay from West Point, New York
to Dallas, Texas. The Carry the Load Relay is rucking through Tennessee May 12-21st and will be in central
Nashville on May 16-18th, 2012.
Along the way, the organization is inviting veterans, surviving families and all others to come out and Carry
the Load and join the relay. There is no cost to participate as a Load Carrier or to walk along with the Carry
the Load team. Individuals, businesses or organizations are able to sponsor segment(s) of the relay in an
effort to help families of fallen heroes. All funds raised will be donated to Carry The Load’s primary
beneficiaries, Snowball Express and the Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors, two organizations
hyper-focused on supporting surviving families.
Along the 27-day relay, Carry the Load is also collecting stories of American soldiers, police officers, fire
fighters, first responders and other service men and women who have carried the burden and lost their lives
in the line of duty. To submit your own story, visit the Carry the Load website at www.CarryTheLoad.org
One such story is of MSG James "Tre" Ponder, of Franklin, TN. Tre was a true leader and patriot that
served 15 years in the Army prior to his death in 2005 when his helicopter was shot down by enemy fire
during his fourth rotation to Afghanistan. Tre's wife and high school sweetheart, Leslie Ponder, will lead the
Carry the Load team as it goes through Eastern Nashville on May 17th. Along side her will be their two
daughters, Samantha and Elizabeth. The Ponder's will be coming from Franklin, TN to Carry the Load for
their beloved husband and father. Tre's inspiring story can be found online on Carry the Load’s Hero page
by clicking here.
Clint Bruce – a US Naval Academy graduate, veteran, and former SEAL – founded Carry the Load in
Dallas, Texas in 2011. His mission was to unite community members in a collective effort to remember and
celebrate the sacrifice of American soldiers while fostering awareness and restoring reverence around the
true meaning of Memorial Day.
When asked about how the 1,700-mile trek symbolized the mission of Carry The Load, Bruce responded,
"At mile 20, when you don't have any more and you start walking for someone else, the pain kind of goes
away. You start thinking about the person who was willing to do these things for you."
To register to be a Load Carrier or sponsor a segment(s) of the relay, visit CarrytheLoad.org and click on
the Relay Map. For a given segment, when you click on "map" you'll be directed to the map for that
particular day and can see exact times and street corners of where the Relay will be that day. Simply click
on the light blue tear-drop markers on the map and it will show you the specific time/location information.
Join us on May 17 in Nashville at 08:00 p.m. and help us Carry the Load. Those not able to participate in
the relay can show support by sponsoring a leg of the race or by donating directly to the campaign by
visiting www.CarryTheLoad.org. All contributions will be given to the organizations being carried, specifically
the Snowball Express, the Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors, the Yellow Ribbon Fund and the
RWB Team. Individuals are also encouraged to spread word about the relay, as well as the ultimate mission
of Carry the Load, over Facebook and Twitter.
For additional press inquiries or to learn more information about ways to get involved with Carry the Load,
contact Coleman Ruiz at contact@carrytheload.org or visit www.CarryTheLoad.org.
Carry the Load is a non-profit organization aimed at driving attention and steering resources towards
existing non-profit organizations that support veteran families and veteran organizations. Carry the Load
offers community members an opportunity to come together in sharing Memorial Day and actively
remembering American’s heroes.
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