Journey

originally co- founded by Clint Bruce and Stephen Holley, who are both former Navy SEALs. According to the website, Bruce attended a Memorial Day barbecue and thought about friends he lost in combat. He realized some of the others at the barbecue had lost sight of what Memorial Day originally stood for.

In response, Bruce put a pound of weight in a bag for everyone that he had lost, and started walking. After an interaction with a man about the reason he was walking, he realized that he could use this activity to share his story, and the stories of those he had lost, with others.

Bruce and Holley made it their mission to restore the original meaning of Memorial Day. They wanted to both broaden the honors to include other life- saving occupations and extend the celebration to a daily basis, as opposed to just the actual holiday. Carry the Load achieves this goal by helping individuals connect to others and share their stories across the nation.

When someone reached out to Thomas about Carry the Load, he realized it would be a phenomenal opportunity to recognize t he sacrifices made by his friend Jarrod Daniel, who is a former marine and current Georgia State Patrol trooper that attended Gordon Central with Thomas.

“I feel like this was a wonderful way to honor what Jarrod does for this country, and I originally got involved with Carry the Load with him in mind,” Thomas said. “It is the least that I could to show support for him and all the others that put their lives on the line for us.”

The path of the relay Thomas is participating in is referred to as the East Coast Route, and it stretches over 2,100 miles while passing through Georgia, the Carolinas, Tennessee and Arkansas. The group started their journey in West Point, N. Y. on May 1.

The day- to- day activities of the relay are strenuous, but enlightening. Everyone in the group walks in two- hour intervals over a 24- hour period, stopping to meet military veterans and emergency personnel in an effort to learn more about the personal sacrifices they’ve made, and continue to make, on a daily basis. Thomas is also part of the group’s night crew, which primarily bikes and can travel more than 40 miles per night.

“We have had the chance to connect with so many interesting veterans, police officers, firefighters and first responders along the entire east coast,” Thomas said. “It has really been a special time for me, and it has been worth all of the effort.”

In addition to all the great people they have interacted with, the relay has also made stops at historic landmarks and revered locations such as the 9/ 11 Memorial and reflecting pools, Rescue 5 fire station, Freedom Tower and West Point Military Academy and Cemetery.

While traveling down the coast, the group also toured the Lincoln Memorial, Arlington Cemetery and the United States Naval Academy.

As the halfway point of the journey approached, Thomas had the opportunity of sharing the experience with his hometown when the group traveled on Highway 41, passing through Calhoun on May 16.

The relay concludes on May 28 in Dallas, Texas when Thomas will join many others at the Dallas Memorial March. The march is a two- day event that highlights all of the values that Carry the Load were built on. It ends with an observance of the National Moment of Remembrance.

“These last few weeks have truly been life- changing for me,” Thomas said. “I have definitely gained more respect for the heroes of our nation, and I will never forget the stories I’ve heard and locations I have visited.”

For more information on Carry the Load, or to learn how you can donate to the organization, please visit www. carrytheload. org.