A 150-mile ruck march through Santa Rosa County to honor the 150 law enforcement officers who died in the line of duty during 2018 starts Thursday and will conclude Saturday at the Santa Rosa County Fairgrounds Arena. The finish-line event and memorial ceremony is open to the public.
The End of Watch Memorial Ruck, an annual event in its second year, is organized by the End of Watch Foundation and the First Judicial Circuit Law Enforcement Association (FJLEA).
During the march, dedicated athletes carry one pound for one mile for every line of duty death from the previous year. In 2018, participants marched 134 miles and carried 134 pounds for the 134 heroes killed in the the line of duty in 2017. This year they will march 150 miles carrying 150 pounds, symbolizing the officers lost in 2018.
“The finish line ceremony marks the culmination of this multi-day event,” said Joshua Schwitzerlett, vice-president of the End of Watch Foundation. “We hope our community will come out and join us again this year as we honor the fallen men and women of our law enforcement community.”
The event raises funds for the FJCLEA, an organization aimed to provide financial support to members of the criminal justice community and their families during times of need and charitable support to children’s advocacy organizations in Northwest Florida. All funds raised by the ruck go to support the efforts of the FJCLEA.
The event will span approximately 54 hours, concluding with the ceremony at the Fairgrounds which will feature a memorial parade, recitation of the names of the 150 officers lost in 2018 and presentations from local law enforcement leadership.
To learn more about the event and the finish line ceremony, visit www.EOWMR.com.
