For Immediate Release: May 12, 2016
Contact:
Major David Cote, USMCR, Founder and General Manager, (760) 685-3001
The Summit Project
dave@thesummitproject.org
www.thesummitproject.org
MEDIA ADVISORY
The Summit Project Returns to Baxter State Park via Motorcycle convoy
To then Honor Maine’s Fallen Heroes
This Memorial Day weekend, exactly three years after its establishment, The Summit Project will conduct its Third Annual Tribute Trek and Family Weekend on Maine’s Baxter State Park.
The Summit Project (TSP), a nationally recognized, Maine based, non-profit service organization founded by Major David J. Cote, USMCR in 2013, is a living memorial that has changed the way an entire state pays tribute to their post 9/11 fallen service members while also inspiring service, strengthening communities and changing lives. “We carry their stone for a hike; We carry their story for a lifetime.” The mission of TSP is to honor our state’s newest war casualties and the faithful spirit of all Mainers. Unlike any project in America, TSP allows Maine communities to honor our fallen heroes through action.
TSP builds and bolsters our communities by intersecting the lives of the fallen, their families and the faithful. TSP has also revealed the character of Maine and America — A character of service, integrity and loyalty. As Americans, “we look after one another, we remember one another, we make sacrifices for one another, we are faithful to each other and we carry each other to higher places, both literally and figuratively.” Through TSP we are able to carry on the unfinished work of our fallen heroes toward creating a safer, sounder more just America.
Over Memorial Day weekend 2016, 36 hikers will climb a summit in Baxter State Park as part of The Summit Project. With every step of that climb our hikers, who have already learned about the lives of their assigned heroes, will carry with them the memorial stones of that hero making The Summit Project a living memorial. The surviving families shared the stories of their loved ones’ character, integrity and service, and they have each unearthed and donated the special memorial stone that uniquely represents each fallen family member from Maine. We’ve engraved all of those stones and on Saturday, May 28, they will be transported to northern Maine, so that on Sunday, May 29, our preselected hikers can carry their stone for the hike, but carry their story for a lifetime.
Professional B-roll; Video #1, Video #2.
Motorcycle convoy, Saturday, May 28, 2016 Begin: Elks Lodge, Portland, 7am.
1945 Congress St, Portland, ME 04102
Media Interviews available upon request
Gardner Rest Stop, 1000-1030am
Media Interviews available upon request
Lunch: Dysart’s Truck Stop, 1200-2pm
530 Coldbrook Rd, Hermon, ME 04401
Media Interviews available upon request
End: Twin Pines Campground, Millinocket, 5pm
Media Interviews available upon request
Tribute Trek on Baxter State Park, May 29, 2016 Twin Pines Campground, Millinocket, 7am
Private event, media by exception only
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