STORY AND PHOTO BY KAREN BOSSICK

Wood River Valley residents are invited to honor military, veterans and first responders during Carry the Load on Friday, May 16.

The event is part of Memorial May, a month-long movement honoring the sacrifices of those groups.

It will be held from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. Friday, May 16, at the Ketchum Fire Department at 107 Saddle Road. The National Anthem will kick things off at 5 p.m., followed by stories told by veterans, first responders and families honoring those who served.

At 5:20 p.m., participants may take part in a mile-long walk through Ketchum passing by Rotary Park and Hemingway STEAM School before returning to the fire station.

The event will end with hot dogs, fire truck tours, a fire equipment safety demo and kid-friendly activities.

Carry the Load was started in 2011 by Veteran Navy SEALs Clint Bruce and Stephen Holley to raise awareness and encourage people to remember the sacrifices made by those in the military.

“Their mission to enlighten and engage our nation was originally held on Memorial Day. It’s gotten so big they now do Memorial May,” said Erin Rheinschild, director of Philanthropy for Higher Ground, which provides therapeutic recreation for veterans and first responders.

This year’s observance started on April 28 with relay runs beginning at West Point, Seattle and in the Midwest. All three relays will end up in Dallas for Memorial Day after having passed through hundreds of cities.

The event raised $1.8 million last year alone, with that money going to organizations like  Higher Ground, said Rheinschild, whose organization has organized the event locally for 11 years.