A tribute to NASA earned the Southeast Campus float the Mayor’s Award in the city of Arlington’s 2011 Fourth of July parade Monday. The award, given by the Mayor to the non-commercial entry which best depicts the parade’s theme, gave the float the honored position of riding directly behind the Mayor Robert Cluck’s car in the parade.
In its 16th year of participating in the Arlington parade, SE chose to support the parade’s theme – “Let’s Roll America” – by focusing on NASA’s role in uniting America. The float showed the first moon walk and celebrated the last space shuttle mission. Creators credited NASA’s “Let’s Roll” mentality with uniting our country through American ingenuity, courage and determination.
SE was joined in the parade by two Spirit of Liberty Jeeps. These Jeeps are part of the Crossing of America Tour sponsored by the national Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors (TAPS) and the Spirit of Liberty Foundation. Their goal is to raise awareness and much needed funding for the Wounded Warriors Project, Fallen Heroes and their families.
Active Duty Service Members and Veterans are driving two Spirit of Liberty Jeeps more than 12,500 miles through 43 states and the District of Columbia. The trip, which began in San Diego on the deck of USS Midway, will end on the deck of the USS Intrepid for the kick-off ceremony honoring the 10th Anniversary of 9/11 in New York City. The group is dedicating about the first 6,000 miles of the trip to each soldier whose life was lost in the war on terror since 9/11 and the last 3,000 or so miles to those who lost their lives on 9/11.
Donations can be made to the Crossing of American Tour by visiting www.crossingofamerica.org