There was a dedication ceremony on Friday, November 20th, renaming the Post Office in Charlottesville, VA in honor of Cpl Bradley T. Arms. Run for the Fallen had the opportunity to run alongside Bradley’s father, Bob, when we ran through Charlottesville last summer. I still have the picture of Bradley Bob handed to me as he left.
Here are a few words remembering the life of Bradley; the excerpt comes from his site on In Remembrance.
“Bradley Thomas Arms was happy to take a break from his studies at the University of Georgia to serve in Iraq. “He didn’t say it was going to ruin his college experience. He said, ‘This is what I signed up for, and I’m excited to have a chance to do it,’” said Ronald Sykes, headmaster of the Christian high school Arms attended. “He was the finest kid you could ever love.” Arms, 20, of Charlottesville, Va. was killed Nov. 19, 2004 by small arms fire. He was in a Marine reserve unit headquartered in Baltimore. Bradley played lacrosse and soccer in high school and participated in church service projects with his mother and father.”
Highlight on Sgt. Rob Brown in ESPN’s “OTL: Walter Reed.” The segment shows how kayaking and running helps disabled veterans on painful road to recovery.
For those who live in and around the St. Louis, MO area, the 3rd Annual Lt Daniel P. Riordan Memorial Trivia Night will take place on Saturday November 7th at St. John Vianney High School. 100% of the proceeds from this event will benefit the scholarship established in Dan’s name. The scholarship is awarded annually to a Vianney student with financial need that exhibits the same qualities as Dan: Faith, Honor, & Service.
Registrations can be downloaded on Dan’s website: http://www.ltdanriordan.com/calendar.htm
The last two years there were over 700 participants packing Vianney’s Field House. Interest is growing, and it’s likely this event will sell-out.
If you have any questions or comments regarding either the trivia night or the scholarship, please feel free to contact Dan’s brother, Nick Riordan at: nmriordan [at] earthlink [dot] net
This weekend is Time of Remembrance, the Washington D.C. ceremony for Gold Star family members, paying tribute to their lost loved ones and to all those who serve our country Military and Non Military. September 27th is also Gold Star Mother’s Day.
A Hampton (VA) TV news story interviewed Chris’s mom, Kate McLaughlin, about Chris and this upcoming weekend. The interview aired this evening, and the link is posted below.
President Obama met personally with the Xiarhos family in late August, whose son, Nicholas G. Xiarhos, age 21, was killed in action on July 23, 2009. Nicholas was born on Feb. 12, 1988, in Hyannis. He has three other siblings: Alexander, 19, and his twin sisters, Ashlynne and Elizabeth, 15.
Nicholas had served two tours in Iraq, and switched units to serve in Afghanistan alongside an old classmate from Yarmouth Port.
WBZ-TV interviewed Steve about meeting President Obama. For the full story and video interview, click here.
Nicholas’ father, Steven, organized a Run for the Fallen event in Yarmouth Port, MA last year and again this year with Polly Papsadore. The Xiarhos Family has established the Nicholas G. Xiarhos Memorial Fund in Nicholas’ memory. The fund’s mission statement is “to provide recognition and assistance to the brave men and women in the Cape Cod community who choose to serve our great country in the Armed Forces to protect the innocent and the weak, and to fight for freedom all over the world.”
Donations may be sent to the Nicholas G. Xiarhos Memorial Fund, c/o Citizens Bank, 1116 Main Street, Route 28, South Yarmouth, MA 02664
To learn more about Nick, and/or to share your thoughts, please visit his pages on Flickr and In Remembrance.
