ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — The nonprofit "Carry the Load" is holding a monthlong event in honor of Memorial Day coming up on May 29.
All month they're holding events, rallies and walking across the country to remember our country's fallen heroes and raise money to support military families that have lost their loved ones.
This Friday, their cross-country movement brought them to St. Petersburg. Five groups are walking across the U.S., tracking along the different regions. The East Coast group started at West Point, New York, and will end in Dallas, Texas, with all of the other groups.
"We were set off to restore the true meaning of Memorial Day," Jason Santos with Carry the Load said. "It's not a three-day weekend, a backyard barbecue, or a mattress sale — those things are all fine, but memorial day is meant to be a day of honor and remembrance, so we're trying to raise awareness for that."
In Dallas, all the groups will converge and walk together in the Dallas Memorial March on May 28 – right before Memorial Day. If you'd like to contribute to their efforts, you can donate online.