Summit Project to honor Maine’s fallen heroes
This Memorial Day weekend, The Summit Project (TSP) will embark on a major tribute trek in Maine to honor the state’s fallen heroes with a novel living memorial. The project — a non-profit organization paying tribute to heroes through action — will bring together over 150 Patriot Rider Motorcyclists who will travel over 200 miles, to transport over 55 tribute stones and relay them to three teams of 12 hikers. The stones will be accompanied by Maine’s First Lady Anne LePage and escorted by Maine State Police.
Surviving families of Maine’s post Sept. 11 fallen military service members have unearthed and donated stones that uniquely represent their loved ones. Volunteers from all over Maine and across the country, work to discover the lives of those heroes and then carry their stone and their stories on various treks — literally shouldering the burden of the families of the fallen. This Memorial Day, three hiking teams will summit Owl Peak in Baxter State Park. Together with more than 30 Gold Star family members they will celebrate a weekend of fellowship, healing and remembrance along the shores of Millinocket Lake, at Twin Pines Campground in Millinocket against the backdrop of Katahdin.
“We are encouraged by the outpouring of support from all over Maine, for our second annual signature event, TSP at Baxter State Park,” said Marine Maj. and TSP founder David J. Cote. “There is no better way to celebrate Memorial Day than through this living memorial. TSP is unique in that we’re encouraging a physical as well as emotional connection between the fallen, the families and the living faithful. Our hiking teams will symbolically recognize the burden shouldered by our brave Maine service members and their families. By literally and figuratively lifting each other up to higher places, we can see how TSP inspires service, strengthens communities and changes lives. We are looking forward to another great event this year.”
Hikers include parents and siblings of Maine’s Fallen Heroes. Many hikers are returning veterans of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan and still other hikers are teachers, small business owners, law enforcement officers, students and citizens from all over Maine. Hikers are assigned a specific fallen hero they will honor – carrying their tribute stone – learning about their service and sacrifice. All are invited to share this adventure.
Motorcycle convoy stops are at Elks Club Portland, Gardner rest stop, Dysart’s truck stop, Medway rest stop. Last year’s event is at http://thesummitproject.org/a-living-memorial/tsp-at-bsp-2014/.
TSP is a nationally recognized, Maine based, non-profit service organization founded that is a living memorial that has changed the way an entire state pays tribute to their post Sept. 11 fallen service members while also inspiring service, strengthening communities and changing lives.
“We carry their stone for a hike; We carry their story for a lifetime.” The mission of TSP is to honor our state’s newest war casualties and the faithful spirit of all Mainers., TSP allows Maine communities to honor our fallen heroes through action. Surviving families unearth and donate stones that uniquely represent their loved ones. Volunteers discover the lives of our heroes and then carry these stone and their stories on treks throughout Maine and across the world.
Each trekker must (1) learn about the fallen hero they choose to honor; (2) carry his/her tribute stone through a physical challenge; and 3) compose a post-event reflection letter addressed to his/her surviving family. Already, TSP stones and stories have been shared on Katahdin, Cadillac, Kilimanjaro, Everest, Denali and been carried through parades, marathons and marches all across Maine.