thedrifter
07-01-07, 07:41 AM
Run/walk to mark sacrifice of soldiers killed serving in Iraq
By Jon Stevens, Staff writer
jstevens@observer-reporter.com
WAYNESBURG - What began as an attempt to rename Murtha Drive after a fallen soldier from Greene County has blossomed into an event that will honor the Marine from Spraggs as well as a soldier from Carmichaels who was killed 17 months earlier.
In January, a petition containing 1,637 signatures was delivered to the county commissioners, urging them to name the road after Lance Cpl. Steven Phillips, who died Feb. 7, 2006.
The road is supposed to be called Murtha Drive, in honor of the congressman who secured a large portion of the funding for the road, U.S. Rep. John Murtha. Murtha, a Democrat from Johnstown, has angered some supporters of the Iraq war by calling the invasion a mistake and advocating a pullout of U.S. troops.
But singling out one soldier would have raised issues of fairness, since Phillips was not the only Greene County man to have died in Iraq. U.S. Army Spc. Gregory Cox died Sept. 27, 2004, and was the first from the area to die in the war.
After accepting the petition, Commissioner Pam Snyder said, "We would like to work with the Cox and Phillips families to find the best way to honor these young men."
It appears the county has found a way to do just that.
On Sept. 22, a 5.5k Heroes Run/Walk will be held on the county's Greene River Trail with proceeds going to establish scholarships in the names of Steven Phillips and Gregory Cox.
Money raised by this race, and presumably subsequent ones, will be shared by the two families. Phillips' mother, Paulette, said she and her husband, James, plan to use their money to supplement the computer-aided drafting program at Greene County Career and Technology Center.
"When Steve was in school, he attended that program," Mrs. Phillips said.
John E. and Mary Anne Cox plan to create a scholarship for a Greene County senior planning to go to college and participate in a ROTC program.
Jake Blaker, director of the county's parks and recreation department, said the Heroes Run/Walk is a "wonderful way to honor these young men."
The county has begun to accept entry forms for the run/walk. The cost to participate is $18 if pre-registered by Aug. 25 and $20 on race day.
Both the run and walk will begin at 8:30 a.m. at Greene Cove Yacht Club, proceed approximately 1.7 miles to the former Gateway Mine entrance and back to the yacht club.
Age groups for runners are 14 and under, 15-19, 20-24, 25-29, 30-34, 35-39, 40-44, 45-49, 50-54, 55-59, 60-69 and 70 and over. Age groups for walkers are 19 and under, 20-29, 30-39, 40-49, 50-59, 60-69 and 70 and older.
On Friday, the county accepted a $2,500 check from Wal-Mart to pay for camouflage race shirts. Wal-Mart, along with Southwest Regional Medical Center, First Federal Savings and Loan of Greene County, Waynesburg College, Greene Cove Yacht Club, Baily Insurance and WANB radio, are sponsors.
After completing two tours in Afghanistan, Phillips, 27, was six months into a seven-month tour in Iraq when he became a fatality of a Humvee accident in Al Anbar Province as his squad was responding to a report of suspicious activity.
His interests ranged from kickboxing to candles. When not working as a design engineer for International Paper, he could be found building or modifying his computer system, playing paintball, practicing at the pistol range or cooking steaks for neighbors and friends.
During his time with the Marines, Phillips trained as a weapons specialist, earning the title "assaultman."
Cox, 21, died Sept. 27, 2004, as the result of injuries when the Humvee he was driving overturned near Balad, Iraq. He served a six-month tour of duty in Kosovo and had been in Iraq seven months at the time of his death.
He was a member and an altar server at All Saints Roman Catholic Church in Masontown and was a 2001 graduate of Geibel Catholic High School.
Cox was a man who loved animals and the outdoors.
Ellie
By Jon Stevens, Staff writer
jstevens@observer-reporter.com
WAYNESBURG - What began as an attempt to rename Murtha Drive after a fallen soldier from Greene County has blossomed into an event that will honor the Marine from Spraggs as well as a soldier from Carmichaels who was killed 17 months earlier.
In January, a petition containing 1,637 signatures was delivered to the county commissioners, urging them to name the road after Lance Cpl. Steven Phillips, who died Feb. 7, 2006.
The road is supposed to be called Murtha Drive, in honor of the congressman who secured a large portion of the funding for the road, U.S. Rep. John Murtha. Murtha, a Democrat from Johnstown, has angered some supporters of the Iraq war by calling the invasion a mistake and advocating a pullout of U.S. troops.
But singling out one soldier would have raised issues of fairness, since Phillips was not the only Greene County man to have died in Iraq. U.S. Army Spc. Gregory Cox died Sept. 27, 2004, and was the first from the area to die in the war.
After accepting the petition, Commissioner Pam Snyder said, "We would like to work with the Cox and Phillips families to find the best way to honor these young men."
It appears the county has found a way to do just that.
On Sept. 22, a 5.5k Heroes Run/Walk will be held on the county's Greene River Trail with proceeds going to establish scholarships in the names of Steven Phillips and Gregory Cox.
Money raised by this race, and presumably subsequent ones, will be shared by the two families. Phillips' mother, Paulette, said she and her husband, James, plan to use their money to supplement the computer-aided drafting program at Greene County Career and Technology Center.
"When Steve was in school, he attended that program," Mrs. Phillips said.
John E. and Mary Anne Cox plan to create a scholarship for a Greene County senior planning to go to college and participate in a ROTC program.
Jake Blaker, director of the county's parks and recreation department, said the Heroes Run/Walk is a "wonderful way to honor these young men."
The county has begun to accept entry forms for the run/walk. The cost to participate is $18 if pre-registered by Aug. 25 and $20 on race day.
Both the run and walk will begin at 8:30 a.m. at Greene Cove Yacht Club, proceed approximately 1.7 miles to the former Gateway Mine entrance and back to the yacht club.
Age groups for runners are 14 and under, 15-19, 20-24, 25-29, 30-34, 35-39, 40-44, 45-49, 50-54, 55-59, 60-69 and 70 and over. Age groups for walkers are 19 and under, 20-29, 30-39, 40-49, 50-59, 60-69 and 70 and older.
On Friday, the county accepted a $2,500 check from Wal-Mart to pay for camouflage race shirts. Wal-Mart, along with Southwest Regional Medical Center, First Federal Savings and Loan of Greene County, Waynesburg College, Greene Cove Yacht Club, Baily Insurance and WANB radio, are sponsors.
After completing two tours in Afghanistan, Phillips, 27, was six months into a seven-month tour in Iraq when he became a fatality of a Humvee accident in Al Anbar Province as his squad was responding to a report of suspicious activity.
His interests ranged from kickboxing to candles. When not working as a design engineer for International Paper, he could be found building or modifying his computer system, playing paintball, practicing at the pistol range or cooking steaks for neighbors and friends.
During his time with the Marines, Phillips trained as a weapons specialist, earning the title "assaultman."
Cox, 21, died Sept. 27, 2004, as the result of injuries when the Humvee he was driving overturned near Balad, Iraq. He served a six-month tour of duty in Kosovo and had been in Iraq seven months at the time of his death.
He was a member and an altar server at All Saints Roman Catholic Church in Masontown and was a 2001 graduate of Geibel Catholic High School.
Cox was a man who loved animals and the outdoors.
Ellie