On Thursday, September 11th, our chapter president, Sandra Boldt, took to the streets alongside March to the Memorial founder Bob Lyons, as well as a few others, to trek 21 miles from the Erskine Village Martin’s Supermarket to the 9/11 Memorial at St. Patrick’s County Park. 

Having completed the full 21 mile march on her first attempt, Boldt shares that she feels, “tired, proud, and humbled. Tired because this is not for the weak. Proud that I accomplished it and was able to honor those lives that were lost. Humbled by all of the cars that honked and the feeling of loss at the memorial.

Walking 21 miles is a long time to think about things. The march kicked off at 9:11 A.M. and the crew made it to the memorial around 6:45 P.M. that night. They took schedule breaks at fire stations every few miles, including a dinner stop sponsored by Mission BBQ. But what was going through Sandra’s head during those nine and a half hours?

“I’m not going to lie, it was hot and at times I wondered what I got myself into, but talking to the other people in the group and having the support of my family and friends helped me push on. The discomfort I was experiencing was nothing compared to those we lost, the survivors, or what the families went through.”

Do you have any tips or encouraging words for those that may participate in a future March to the Memorial?

“Train beforehand, lots of water and bananas, good shoes, change socks and remember why you are participating.”

We also had a chance to reach out to Bob afterwards, and we asked how this year was different….

“A couple things that stick out… it’s the largest group to walk all 21 miles, and it’s the first time that I can recall nearly every fire station receiving a call while we were visiting (the first fire station was already out on one).”

Lyons continued, “I always enjoy seeing new faces and one person who walked with us in 2019 returned. Ever year, it seems our country and community need some unity, this year is definitely no exception to that one. We were able to stay pretty close to the schedule this year, which is great! That is the greatest challenge from my perspective- balancing inclusivity with the schedule. That is something most walks do not have to contend with because you’re in one location, so not nearly as many logistics are involved.”

To learn more about the South Bend March to the Memorial, visit MarchToTheMemorial.com. Keep in mind that next year will be the 25th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks. The crowd may be larger than expected, even if people join for a couple miles here or there.