On February 23, Matt Gargarino of Marne, Michigan will be running 40 miles across West Michigan to raise money for Folds of Honor.
His route begins in Grand Haven and will take him along Lake Michigan Drive. He then will end the 40-mile route at Noto’s Restaurant in Cascade, just southeast of downtown Grand Rapids.
The 55-year-old has been an avid runner and has been running across Michigan to honor police officers, military and first responders. Last year, he participated in the Armed Services Marathon, Half Marathon and 5K. It was there that he learned about Folds of Honor and the work they do giving scholarships to families who have lost a family member serving in the military or first responders. As his son is also in the ROTC program at Purdue University, he was inspired to take this step to raise awareness and money for the organization while doing something both he and his son enjoy – running.
Matt spoke on his running journey:
“Over the past 10 years, I have run to honor law enforcement and those fallen to raise money for their families. These previous runs started at the Riverbank Run carrying a thin blue line flag and eventually evolved into a multi-day run across Michigan in 2018 and 2019. These police-escorted runs spanned the state 160 miles and allowed me to challenge myself while at the same time raising awareness, honoring those who served and raising money for the families of fallen officers.
Since then, my desire and passion to honor those who serve has expanded to our military. This has stemmed as a direct result of my son, Matthew, who is serving as a midshipman in the Purdue Naval ROTC program. In 2025, he will commission as an officer in the United States Navy.
Although I have always supported our military, this personal connection has given me a new perspective into the risks and sacrifices few people take on. Supporting our military not only supports my son, but the sons and daughters of other parents that have that same connection. I am fortunate that my son has become an avid fitness enthusiast with running being a big part of that. In the last few years, we have run together, carrying the American flag and wearing weighted training vests and duty boots.
We both became more familiar with Folds of Honor when Ron Knoll invited us to run in the 2023 Armed Forces Half Marathon. After that race, I learned about the mission of Folds of Honor, raising scholarship funds for families who have lost someone in the line of duty or that have been disabled. Knowing first-hand the financial challenges of college, I wanted to offer my help to this charity. Learning about the Folds of Honor at the American Dunes Golf Course and the February 24th inaugural gala at Noto’s restaurant, provided a great opportunity to use my love of running to help this cause and event. With the recent addition of first responders to the Folds of Honor mission and my connection with law enforcement, I felt I could make an impact.
I hope that what I do inspires others to push themselves outside of their comfort zones, give back to others, and serve a purpose bigger than themselves. For me, all three fill my heart beyond measure.”
While Matt will be running the majority of the route alone, he is hoping to finish the last leg of his run with others by his side. He has invited the public to join him in the last 8-9 miles of his journey.
You can learn more about his journey and how to join him to end his run with a purpose here: https://www.facebook.com/runacrossmi.