Published: November 07, 2009 07:07 pm      

WALK OF HONOR: Students march nine miles to honor veterans

On most Saturdays, they might be sleeping in or playing video games, but this weekend, 166 Floyd Central and New Albany High School students marched nine miles in honor of Veterans Day.

Navy JROTC cadets from the two schools left Floyd Central High School Saturday morning at 9 a.m. and finished their march at the New Albany National Cemetery on Ekin Avenue.

Floyd Central sophomore Cameron Stickels says it is well worth it.

“You’re doing that to honor the tremendous sacrifice of veterans,” he said.

Retired Lt. Col. Benjamin Gipe said that when he returned in January 2008 from serving in Iraq on a special training mission, he and others in the ROTC program began thinking of ways to honor veterans. Students had previously gone to Lanesville for a similar march, and Gipe wanted to start one in Floyd County.

“How many high school kids do you see getting up on a Saturday morning at 9 a.m. to march nine miles in honor of those who sacrificed to give us our freedom?” Gipe said. “They are sacrificing a little for those who have sacrificed so much. That’s what this is about.”

The first march from Floyd Central took place last year. After hearing about the march, New Albany’s JROTC decided to join in the event this year.

“Instead of just being Floyd Central, we wanted it to be more of a Floyd County thing. It will help build both of our programs,” said New Albany JROTC Commander Joe Maynard.

New Albany Cadet Commander Rebecca Moses, whose father serves in the Army, said many students seemed excited to participate this year.

“I think it’s important for us to see a small part of the sacrifice veterans made,” she said.

The march had special significance for many students. About one-third of those marching said they had family members in the military.

NAHS senior Jack Cunningham, who has joined the Marine Corps, will be leaving for Parris Island this summer. He said it is important to support those who have already served.

Josh Kimbler, also a senior at NAHS, will be joining the Navy on Aug. 27. Kimbler said his father is a veteran and so he was always exposed to that life.

“I think it’s important to honor veterans,” he said. “They served our country so that we can have freedom.”

Floyd Central’s Cadet Commander Nathan Coleman, a senior, said after marching last year he was excited to do it again.

“We want to show our support for veterans, and it’s fun too,” he said. “People were driving by and were waving and honking their horns. It was a lot of fun.”

They were led by a United States flag that Gipe had in Iraq. After arriving at the National Cemetery, Coleman and Moses jointly placed a wreath at a fallen veteran’s headstone.

Gipe said the march will be an annual event at Floyd Central as long as he is there and is able to walk the nine miles. Students were allowed to take breaks for water, and anyone who could not march the entire distance was allowed to ride part of the way on one of the school buses that followed the marchers.

Gipe and Maynard say they are proud of their students for their willingness to participate.

“We have a lot of patriotic kids,” Maynard said.