Stellantis vets honor the fallen with 9/11 Ruck March
Hundreds of backpacks filled with food, toiletries collected for homeless vets
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More than 100 marchers showed up on the Nickel Plate Trail near the Stellantis Indiana Transmission Plant 1 manufacturing facility on Friday as the Stellantis Veterans Group (SVG) conducted its 9/11 Remembrance Ruck March, collecting donations of much-needed goods for homeless veterans, along with honoring those who lost their lives on 9/11.
The culminating event of walking a mile down the trail, across the bridge at Ind. 931 near the Stellantis complex and back, started first with presentations by Stellantis dignitaries from Washington, D.C., and Detroit. Indiana Sen. Todd Young’s North Central Regional Director Courtney Papa, along with Stellantis Vice President of Kokomo and Tipton Operations David Dukes, and Jensen Pickett representing Kokomo Mayor Tyler Moore’s office, all spoke during the event.
The Culver Military Academy’s Marching Military Band was on hand to play “The Star-Spangled Banner,” and Papa read a proclamation from Sen. Young, also a Marine veteran, honoring Stellantis’ efforts to help fellow veterans.
Holly McKnee, Culture Lead for SVG, stated this was the first time the annual event had been held at the Kokomo plants.
“This is our third year we have done it; the first time in Kokomo,” said McKnee. “We tried to expand it to get more people involved and raise awareness.”
One of the big priorities of SVG is to train and hire veterans in the Stellantis facilities. Dukes, the Vice President of Stellantis’ Kokomo Operations, noted that there are 700 veterans employed in the Kokomo and Tipton facilities.
Eric Swanson of Stellantis Automotive Sales Group in Detroit noted, “The Stellantis Veterans Group is a dynamic organization. Our first pillar is community.”
The other three SVG support pillars include building a non-discriminatory culture, helping veterans with homelessness and mental issues, and using veterans’ skills to integrate into training and employment opportunities in the corporation.
The event also featured UAW Local 1166 Chaplain Terry Lindsay giving an invocation to memorialize those who died on 9/11 in the terrorist attacks on New York and Washington, DC.
According to McKnee, more than 345 backpacks full of food, hygiene supplies, and clothing were collected from the Kokomo Stellantis facilities during the drive for homeless veterans, with unused backpacks being donated to Kokomo’s Coordinated Assistance Ministries (CAM) for those individuals in need.
See additional photos of this event by visiting www.kokomolantern.com or the Lantern’s Facebook page or group.