The true meaning of Memorial Day: Carry the Load relay brings awareness to Wichita

Thirty-two days, 48 states and 20,000 miles make up Carry the Load’s 10th annual relay, which made three stops in Wichita on Friday.

The national relay is meant to “raise awareness for the true meaning of Memorial Day.” The 501(c)3 nonprofit raises funds for first responders, military, veterans and their families.

Carry the Load team member Jeremiah Kincaid said that as a veteran, he understands even more the importance of Memorial Day.

“One thing I tend to bring up is, you know, hearing ‘thank you’ on Memorial Day,” Kincaid said. “It’s a little different than any other day because it’s not, you know, it’s not for me, I’m not the one who should be thanked … I mean, somebody that I served with did die, so that’s something that I’m carrying. I have family members that I’m carrying.”

The Relay made stops at the Andover Fire Department, East Warren theater and Ross Dress for Less. From Ross, team members took a bus to Tulsa.

Tim and Tally Bell were two of the Wichitans who took part in the relay. They found out about Carry the Load through their brother-in-law, who is a retired fire captain.

“This isn’t just supposed to be another Monday, so for us I think it’s to reconnect and then of course we got this special connection because Tom’s been so involved for the last decade with them so that’s been good for us,” Tally Bell said.

On their walk, a woman got out of her car, tears streaming down her face, and thanked them for what they were doing. Her brother had been killed in the line of duty.

“We should remember there’s a lot of people that are still suffering from the loss of their loved ones, first responders, military and firemen,” Tim Bell said.

For Tally, she said the relay brought everything into perspective.

“This has not ever been real to me. But this is very real to a lot of people and I think we forget that,” Tally said.

A group of ambassadors from T-Mobile also took part in Friday’s relay.

Sarah Allen from T-Mobile said she decided to do the relay because of her co-workers, many of whom are first responders and military.

“They work for us and, you know, they served the country,” Allen said. “I do it for them.”

“I feel like it’s important, especially during Memorial Day, just to remember, you know, all the veterans, all the work that they’ve done and them fighting for our country,” Shanae Sanders, DEI ambassador for T-Mobile, said.

Kincaid said he enjoys his work with the organization because it directly affects people.

“Seeing the impact that we’ve made, you know, when we meet the family or friends who have lost somebody that, you know, for me that really creates a motivation to keep doing this,” Kincaid said.

Carry the Load focuses a lot of efforts on connecting people with their community, Kincaid said.

“It’s actually, like, trying to connect people [and] trying to get them out,” Kincaid said. “You know, really thinking about why this is important and why we’re doing this.”