Memorial Day 2012

Over the course of the past few years, I have gained an even greater appreciation for the sacrifice and contributions made by our veterans.  I have conducted hours of research of local veterans who are buried in Horry County and I have been so impressed with their tireless heroic and often forgotten actions.  Many of these veterans gave their lives in battle in defense of the ideals that we as a nation hold sacred.  Some warriors returned from battle to live out their days in small towns resuming their lives from before the war.  Some of their battle scars were physical, some were mental or psychological, and some returned carrying the burden of war on their faces.  All should have returned with our collective hands held high to welcome them back.  But not all did.  Our veterans deserve to be recognized.

As this group of high school students works to honor the veterans of Horry County, I am inspired by their efforts.  Not many students can truly appreciate an undertaking such as this.  This group puts their lives on hold for a few hours during their semester to do the right thing and support our veterans and recognize the contributions made by previous generations. I am honored to work with a such a great group of students from all over the county.

Over the course of the past three months, our group has planned for a great celebration to honor the memory of fallen veterans on Memorial Day.  Small groups have been responsible for researching cemeteries to find out who is buried in different cemeteries, fundraising to buy more flags to place in honor of their sacrifice, and executing their plan to honor our veterans.  In a few weeks, our group will again go out into the community and quietly remember our fallen heroes.

Spring Campaign 2012

Our group has entered into a new phase of our project as we move forward in 2012. We have selected a new leadership team that will be making some critical decisions as to what the next step will be. Some students have expressed interest in collaborating with veteran organizations to share stories, working with veterans in the community, and garnering more support from the community and veterans for veterans.

The group has some new and exciting ideas for 2012 and we are expecting great things. Please make sure to check out our project on Facebook and follow our blog for upcoming events and fundraising opportunities.

Veterans Day 2011

Our Freedom Fighters Project placed flags at the graves of several more veterans all around Horry County, South Carolina. Our group was able to expand our search and contribute to areas often forgotten, away from the larger cemeteries. Regardless of the location in the county, we wanted to recognize service to our country and pay our respects for their sacrifice and dedication to our nation and the values we hold dear.

We were able to raise quite a bit of money through the making and selling of bracelets and other fundraisers to promote our cause and purchase the much needed flags for our project. The students worked tirelessly for the cause.

In the spring, we will continue our fundraising efforts and our efforts to remember those who have fought, served, and represented our country. Our goal is to reach even more cemeteries and families.

Our Efforts

Through fundraising, we were able to raise enough money to purchase two hundred and twenty-five flags and placed them at many grave markers at Ocean Woods Memorial Cemetery in Myrtle Beach. Students volunteered their time to put the flags up to serve as a reminder of our rich military service history in Horry County.

The project was a success but we would like to see the project grow and develop. Maybe we could work with a civic organization to help with fundraising and local veteran organizations to help tell the story of their efforts both overseas and at home.

Our Vision

American freedom is a concept so foreign to so many people in the United States today. We live as a free nation with certain rights that few nations around the world possess. We do not wake to the resounding explosions near our homes and the reverberating cadences of military exercises outside our doors. We too often forget the contributions made by our service men and women who put their lives on the line in pursuit of the greater good. They live out our patriotic ideals so that we may be free. Those contributions need to be recognized and celebrated not just trivialized with sales in our favorite stores, excursions on the river, and vacations to the beach. Our history is so rich with stories of valor and honor and those stories need to be told and their efforts and memory honored.

Our high school advisory group is working to honor the men and women who served our country. We are researching local cemeteries to find the final resting place of veterans and trying to do our part to ensure their memory lives on. We are fundraising to buy flags to fly at the gravesites throughout Horry County on Veterans Day and Memorial Day. We estimate approximately three thousand military veterans are buried in our county with almost all of our wars and conflicts represented. Each flag that flies is a reminder of what we have as a nation and as a people - freedom. The men and women of the armed forces work to ensure that those freedoms remain a part of our every day lives.

If you know a veteran, thank them. If you would like to remember the efforts of a veteran, help us pay tribute to their efforts. Every small donation goes directly to our mission of ensuring that we remember the lives of each and every veteran in Horry County.