Volunteers Sought to Read Names at Veterans’ Tribute on Campus

Lebanon, Ill. — Volunteers are sought to read the names of 1,750 fallen veterans from all military conflicts, Revolutionary War to the present, on Friday, Nov. 9, at McKendree University. A local Marine and “The Fight Continues” organization have gathered more than a million names of deceased servicemen and servicewomen to be recited at 600 locations from coast to coast, in honor of Veterans Day. McKendree is one of several Metro-East locations that will host “The Reading of the Fallen.”

Reading of Illinois veterans’ names will begin immediately after a service starting at 11:30 a.m. at the flagpole on the campus quad. Each volunteer will be asked to read an average of 50 names, which should take approximately 10 minutes. A bell will be rung after each veteran’s name is spoken. Organizers estimate that the reading of 1,750 names at McKendree will last from noon until approximately 4 p.m.

The event will continue at other locations on Sunday, Nov. 11.

“The Fight Continues” was co-founded by Lance Cpl. James Sperry, a Lebanon resident with two Purple Hearts, who was injured in the Battle of Fallujah in the Iraq War. Learn more about the organization at its website, the-fight-continues.com.

 

-McK-