Contact: Ray Smith, FreeWalkers Project Leader FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Cell Phone: 703-732-7724 October 24, 2013
Email:
FreeWalkers Invite Public to Walk 22 miles on November 22
to Honor the Legacy of JFK
How do you best honor a man whose life changed a nation? The FreeWalkers, a social network of long distance walkers, think spending the day walking the nation’s Capitol, while contemplating that life, is their duty and an honor. On Friday, November 22nd - 50 years to the date of this death - they will walk a 22 mileloop from Arlington’s Theodore Roosevelt Island, into and around the District, then culminating with a ceremony nearby the final resting place of President John F. Kennedy(JFK) in Arlington National Cemetery.
JFK loved sports and physical activity even though he suffered fromnumerous physical ailments throughout his life. He initiated a Presidential Fitness Program and encouraged our nation to be fit, long before fitness was fashionable. He spoke about the importance of fitness in a modern age when improvements in technology, transportation and communications facilitated a passive and soft existence. In his words, "Physical fitness is not only one of the most important keys to a healthy body; it is the basis of dynamic and creative intellectual activity."
In 1963, JFK took a page fromTheodore Roosevelt's playbook and became the second President to order his troops to prepare to walk 50-miles to demonstrate our military's capability. That challenge led to a popular, but short-lived, nationwide fad of walking great distances, as if to prove to ourselves that we were a nation of ordinary individuals that could do extraordinary things. Fragment sentence: That unbound spirit seemed to disappear upon his death. Perhaps this alternatively?JFK’s untimely death disavowed his all but immortal stature and disillusioned many.On November 22nd, the FreeWalkers intend to provide evidence that the JFK legacy lives.As Paul Kiczek of Morristown NJ, Founder and President of FreeWalkers, puts it "The spirit of the FreeWalkers was born from memories of that special time when anything seemed possible."
The objective of the JFK March is to create a “moving monument” community of people that honor altruism, the importance of public service and the ability to think and act boldly - qualities that JFK lived by. Ray Smith of Springfied, VA and Director of FreeWalkers-DC says, "Marchers will pass numerous examples of natural and man-made beauty that can humble yet enlighten the human spirit. I've got this feeling; JFK would appreciate our unique way of honoring him. We challenge others to find the many streets or roadways named Kennedy and walk them “with us” on 22 November contemplating JFK’s life."
The Kennedy March DC will end, appropriately, at exactly 2:00 p.m. nearby the eternal flame’s glow - a never-ending symbol of JFK’s legacy for the ages. There will then be a moment of silence in JFK’s memory with a small ceremony to follow including the song Abraham, Martin and John.
As the free in FreeWalkers suggests, the march is free of charge, free of placards or signsand open to everyone, encouraging maximum participation. While all marchers are to begin at 6:30 a.m. and follow the same map handout route, they walk at their own pace and are free to shorten theroute’s maximum 22 mile distance utilizing the free handout’s marked metro stops or walking shortcuts. Thereby joining, re-joining or leaving the walk at any time. All information mentioned here, plus the “what you can do” for others pledge area availableat For more “free”information contact Ray Smith, Director, FreeWalkers-DC, 703-732-7724 (cell).
Please see this, Paul: plus “got your six.”
John FreeWalker Kennedy?