Photo By Cpl. Justin Malone | Gold Star families who participated in the 4th Annual Mark Twain Riverboat Cruise in...... read more read more
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Survivor Outreach Services of Illinois and Missouri hosted the 4th Annual Mark Twain Riverboat Cruise in Hannibal, Missouri, June 2, 2024. The cruise on the Mississippi River served as a way to bring together Gold Star families from both sides of the river. The 3-hour cruise included live music, fun activities, prizes, food, and a place for fellowship for the surviving families.
“Today is a day of celebration,” said Maj. Gen. Rodney Boyd, The Adjutant General for Illinois and Commander of the Illinois National Guard. “This is an opportunity to live by the motto, ‘Always Remember, Never Forget.’ This forum allows us to sit down and have a face-to-face chat with those who have paid the price of losing a loved one. They deal with it every day, but we encourage them to tell us their story. I always enjoy attending the riverboat cruise and I look forward to attending many more in the future.”
This year’s cruise was a special one as 18 other Survivor Outreach Services around the country also hosted cruises, said Michelle Rutherford, the support Coordinator for Illinois Survivor Outreach Services.
“This was our biggest one yet,” Rutherford said. “We all embarked at the same time around the country today on behalf of our loved ones who are no longer with us.”
The survivors received encouraging words from the Illinois and Missouri National Guard leadership.
Brig. Gen Matthew. M. Bacon, the Assistant Adjutant General of the Missouri National Guard, expressed his gratitude for the surviving families’ support and encouraged them to keep their loved one’s memories alive.
“There are two deaths, one when they die and one when we stop telling their stories.”
Command Sgt. Maj. Kehinde Salami, the Senior Enlisted Advisor for the Illinois National Guard, Command Sgt. Maj. Phillip Barber, the State Command Sergeant major for the Illinois Army National Guard and Command Sgt. Maj. Peter Moeller, Casualty Operations Program Manager at National Guard Bureau, also attended the cruise and enjoyed fellowships with the families in attendance.
Rutherford described the importance of the event that SOS provides.
“Survivor Outreach Services continues to honor those who are no longer with us,” Rutherford said. “Some of our survivors experienced loss recently and for some it was or over 20 years ago. It’s those little things that keeps their memories alive. Like General Bacon said earlier, ‘There are two deaths, one when they die and when you forget them.’ So, we always remember and never forget them.”
| Date Taken: | 06.02.2024 |
| Date Posted: | 06.09.2024 12:10 |
| Story ID: | 472985 |
| Location: | HANNIBAL, MISSOURI, US |
| Web Views: | 87 |
| Downloads: | 1 |
This work, Illinois and Missouri National Guard Leaders Cruise Mississippi With Gold Star Families to Keep Memories of Fallen Soldiers Alive, by CPL Justin Malone, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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