https://www.foxbangor.com/news/item/45013-hiking-to-honor-maine-s-fallen-heroes?fbclid=IwAR3ZCz8w54uHUfnN7nxaFmQ1Delc6TQe7obSEcoIqbrQ2b3ju_L6Jq-EIz0
This weekend the 5th anniversary of the Summit Project returns to Acadia National Park to do just that.
The summit project started in 2014. Founder Major David Cote wanted a way to honor fallen service men and women with connections to Maine.
Hikers get a chance to trek up Cadillac mountain with a stone engraved with the name of one of Maine’s fallen military members.
“Open your heart and to learn about somebody, really push yourself physically and be willing to embrace whatever may come your way,” said Joelle Ingalls, Summit Project Ambassador, and hiker.
She said they do a sacred circle, which is where teammates talk about what they’ve learned about our fallen heroes. After the hike, they present the stone back to the gold star families who lost a loved one during combat or due to an accident or illness, “And it never gets old like those of us that have done it from the very beginning it still carries the same weight,” said Ingalls.
She said there is both a benefit and a downfall with the increase of engraved stones each year, “We add stones every year which of course is a terrible thing for us to have to do. We bring in more families, and by bringing in more families the project expands and we’re able to support more people so we do want to bring in families, but you know not under circumstances like that,” Ingalls said.
The hike takes place this Saturday. Hikers will depart Smuggler’s Den campground to start their journey to Cadillac peak.
All hikers are welcome to participate. Ingalls said they have veterans, people who haven’t served and just want to give back, and of course gold star family members.
“I was able to have a stone that was engraved for my fiance. So I’m able to carry his stone which is really special,” said Sarah Thibault, a participant in the hike.
Thibault has done events in the past to honor veterans, but never a hike, “I’m anxious certainly a really emotional thing for me to partake in personally, but also just the fact that these stones are far more than stones they represent fallen veterans, heroes, that gave an ultimate sacrifice,” Thibault said.