In every community, there are people and businesses that pull together to support worthy causes. In Valparaiso, one of those businesses is Ford of Valpo and their amazing staff who often take time from their days to support local causes.
Over September 23rd, Ford of Valpo, and members of their facility, participated in the Sapper 6 Memorial 5k Run in downtown Valparaiso. The run, dedicated to six members of the 713th Combat Engineer Company who died in the line of duty, is run each year in honor of these men who gave the ultimate sacrifice for their country.
“We are involved this event to support the Gold Star families whose sons are nicknamed the "Sapper 6". Those six young men made the ultimate sacrifice. They leave behind wives, children, mothers, fathers, brothers and sisters,” said Shannon Jamieson, Administrative Assistant and Events Coordinator for Ford of Valpo.
Joining with the Folds of Honor Foundation, Ford of Valpo sponsored the event to show gratitude and appreciation for the sacrifices these soldiers have made. Participating, volunteering and being present allowed them to show their support for the families and friends left behind by these young men.
“The memorial run is an amazing event where you can physically see how loved and missed these men are, and how many individuals they have touched. The ceremony itself is enough to bring tears to the eyes of even the toughest man. It really is amazing to see all of the families and friends come out to run, donate and just spend time together,” said Jamieson.
In addition to the 5k memorial run, those in Central Park Plaza enjoyed food, games, prizes, and entertainment. While the event was solemn and serious in many ways, the sense of pride and community support was obvious and demonstrated the strong community spirit that Valparaiso has.
