The late Charlie Daniels will be honored by the Charlie Daniels Journey Home Project (TCDJHP) in Nashville on May 27. The organization is joining forces with the Shepherd’s Men from Atlanta’s Shepherd’s Center for the event, in which, each spring, those taking part run, march, and swim to bring awareness to veteran suicides.
In a charming tip of the cowboy hat to the country giant, who died in July 2020, participants will strap on 83 pounds of weight for a march to acknowledge Daniels’ 83 years of life. The 15-mile ruck march is set to begin at 9am at the musician’s grave in Mt. Juliet, Tennessee; it will end at Castle Heights Military Academy in Lebanon, Tennessee.
A mission to save lives
Afterwards, country star Darryl Worley will play live at a free-entry public reception at Sammy B’s Restaurant, which is located inside the Castle Heights Military Academy. The partnership between the Charlie Daniels Journey Home Project and the Shepherd’s Men started when Daniels worked with the latter group on annual fundraisers to benefit veterans.
TCDJHP co-founder and Daniels’ longtime manager David Corlew says: “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. He believed so much in the Shepherd’s Men’s work, so this is an epic way of honoring Charlie and continuing his mission of saving lives.”
Travis Ellis, Shepherd’s Men co-founder, adds: “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. 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.”
