Middle Tennessee Event Set for May 27 Starting in Mt. Juliet and Ending in Lebanon;
Reception to Follow Featuring Country Star Darryl Worley
Participants to Strap-On 83 Pounds, Representing Daniels’ 83 Years of Life
Nashville, Tenn. — Next week leading into Memorial Day weekend, The Charlie Daniels Journey Home Project (TCDJHP) will team with the Shepherd’s Men (of the Atlanta-based Shepherd’s Center) to honor its founder, the late Charlie Daniels. Each spring, the Shepherd’s Men organizes a multi-city event where participants run, march, and swim to bring awareness to veteran suicides. This year, during the Nashville stop on Thursday, May 27, participants will strap-on 83 pounds of weight, representing Daniels’ 83 years of life.
“Veteran suicides were a critical concern to Charlie, and just a few weeks before he passed, we agreed that this issue should become a major priority within our overall mission,” explains TCDJHP co-founder and Daniels’ longtime manager David Corlew. “He believed so much in the Sheperd’s Men’s work, so this is an epic way of honoring Charlie and continuing his mission of saving lives.”
The 15-mile ruck march will begin at 9 AM at Daniels’ grave in Mt. Juliet, TN, and will end at Castle Heights Military Academy in Lebanon, TN. To see them off, Daniels’ wife, Hazel Daniels, will be in attendance at the gravesite. A free to the public reception featuring a live performance by country star Darryl Worley will immediately follow (approx. 2 PM) at Sammy B’s Restaurant, located inside the Castle Heights Military Academy.
“We run for our brothers and sisters who lost their lives, for our brothers and sisters who are still fighting long after leaving the battlefield and for our brothers and sisters who have not yet returned home,” says Travis Ellis, Shepherd’s Men co-founder. “We will not rest until the number of lives lost every day to suicide goes from 22 to zero. Our veterans deserve to live meaningful, gratifying lives with their families after their courageous service to our country.”
The Shepherd’s Men’s relationship with TCDJHP began several years ago when Daniels began partnering with the group for annual fundraising events benefiting veterans. To date, the two organizations have collectively raised significant funding for injured veterans across the nation.
“Our alliance with the Shepherd’s Center has spanned over eight years,” explains TCDJHP co-founder and Daniels’ longtime manager David Corlew. “The progress and success that this partnership has witnessed is impressive. These results continue to motivate us in the fight against the epidemic of suicides within our veterans community. Much has been accomplished but there is so much more left to do.”
Last month, TCDJHP and the Shepherd’s Men teamed for an Atlanta-area event that featured a live concert by country star Chris Young. The fundraiser raised more than $300,000 for our nation’s vets.
*Reception featuring Darryl Worley is sponsored by Lipman Brothers (presenting sponsor), Tennessee Glass Company, and Sammy B’s Restaurant
To donate to The Charlie Daniels Journey Home Project (TCDJHP) or for more information, visit thecharliedanielsjourney
For more information on The Shepherd’s Men, please visit shepherdsmen.com.