Picture it -- a boot for every soldier, sailor, airman and Marine killed in war since 9/11. That's almost 7,000 boots.
Seven THOUSAND. Breath-taking. Heart-wrenching. Poignant.
That's the kind of impression officials with Survivor Outreach Services (SOS) on Fort Campbell, Ky. are trying to make with their Gold Star Week and Hero and Remembrance Run Oct. 27 to Nov. 1.
Every year the friends and families of Fort Campbell's fallen gather on the Army post to remember the lost. SOS is collecting the boots for a memorial that will line the route of the 5k Remembrance Run. The memorial boots will be tied and placed with a photo of a fallen service member, their name and rank, date of death and place of death. Each boot will represent one service member.
But with Gold Star week less than two months away, boot volunteers are scrambling. According to this story they are short 6,000 boots -- 3,000 pairs -- and they need your help to make this project happen.
Yes, you.
Fort Campbell wants military boots in any condition (yes, any!) and any color. You and I both know that you have old Army boots sitting around headed to the trash can. Instead of tossing them, why not donate them?
This isn't the first Army post to do this project. Tripler Army Medical Center's Fisher House started it two years ago.
Want to send in your used boots? This is how. Please include a note that you are contributing as part of 1-327's boot drive.
If you are local to Fort Campbell: Drop those bad boys off at the Fort Campbell USO, Family Resource Center or ACS.
If you are far away: Mail them via UPS or Fed-Ex (sadly the ACS building doesn't receive regular mail. Weird, I know.): Here is the address:
ACS SOS
2703 Michigan Ave.
Fort Campbell, KY 42223
Photos courtesy of: Facebook and the U.S. Air Force.
