Phoenix-area families will gather at Tempe Town Lake this month for a Memorial Day remembrance event built around movement, reflection and the names of fallen service members.
wear blue: run to remember will host a Circle of Remembrance at 7 a.m. May 20 at Tempe Town Lake Park, 80 W. Rio Salado Parkway in Tempe, followed by a self-paced 5K run and walk open to all abilities.
The event is part of the nonprofit’s nationwide Memorial Day effort inviting Americans to “carry a name, move with purpose, and honor the fallen.”
Participants may register to receive the name of a fallen service member through wear blue’s Hero Match program or choose to honor someone personally meaningful to them. The group describes each step taken as an act of remembrance.
“Memorial Day is more than a moment,” said Ryan Taniguchi, director of community runs at wear blue: run to remember. “It is an opportunity to actively remember. When we carry a name and move with purpose, we ensure that sacrifice is not only acknowledged but lived and honored in a tangible way.”
The Phoenix-area event will include a Circle of Remembrance, where names of fallen service members are spoken aloud, followed by the community run and walk.
The national campaign runs through Memorial Day and includes local events, virtual participation and community gatherings across the country. Participation is free and open to all ages and fitness levels.
Founded in 2010, wear blue: run to remember is a national nonprofit that honors the service and sacrifice of the American military through active remembrance. The organization supports Gold Star and surviving families, veterans, active-duty service members and civilian supporters through community-based movement and remembrance programs.
Participants can register here.
