Click here to check out the STEPS to HONOR video!

STEPS to HONOR will be back next summer as an official program but you can still walk or run in honor of your hero year round.  

Look for information about the 2010 program next spring.  The program runs from Memorial Day until September 11.

Help us to make STEPS to HONOR a household name!  Purchase a t-shirt and start stepping in honor of our heroes.  All proceeds go to benefit military and their families through the ministries of Military Missions, Inc.

Running Bib $5.00 or free with T-shirt purchase!

To purchase a STEPS to HONOR t-shirt and running bib click here!

To print out a STEPS to HONOR Mileage Record click here.

Form a STEPS to HONOR Walking or Running Group in Your Community! Click here to find out more!

Family commits to walking 2500 miles this summer for their deployed Marine!  Click here to find out more!

By TwitterButtons.com

FACEBOOK CAUSES

                                                                       Steps
                                                                       To
                                                                       Encourage
                                                                       Patriots’
                                                                       Sacrifice and Service

I run in your honor because you served in mine.

STEPS to HONOR is an awareness program designed to honor those who stand in the gap to provide a safe America for all of us.  Since the birth of our great nation, there have always been brave and courageous individuals that have stepped up to defend our liberty and keep us safe from harm.  Military Missions, Inc., a 501(c)(3) nonprofit public charity, has designed this program to honor those that serve and sacrifice on our behalf.  This is a program in which anyone can participate.  If you are taking STEPS, you can honor one of America’s heroes.  Obvious examples are running, jogging, walking, or using an elliptical machine.  As long as you are taking STEPS, you can record your mileage in this awareness program. (Sorry, bicycle mileage is not included in this program.)

WHO CAN BE HONORED?  You can honor firefighters and anyone that has served in our military or law enforcement.  Basically, anyone that has stood in the gap to keep Americans safe and free is eligible to be honored.  This includes veterans, those currently serving, and those who have made the ultimate sacrifice.

WHO CAN PARTICIPATE?  Anyone can participate in STEPS to HONOR!  This is an awareness program designed for everyone living anywhere!  Whether you are an accomplished runner, a Senior Citizen, a young child or belong to a group anywhere in between, you are welcome to take STEPS to HONOR an American Hero!  STEPS can be taken anywhere!  Inside or outside makes no difference!

PROGRAM BENEFITS: SATISFACTION GUARANTEED!  You will feel encouraged when you give back by honoring our nation’s heroes. We guarantee a “healthier you” if you take STEPS on a regular basis, and you will be a part of spreading patriotism and a positive attitude which is something that our country desperately needs!  This program will foster awareness for those that serve everyday to keep us safe and ensure our freedoms.  A STEPS to HONOR certificate will be issued to all that participate (and register) for our program.  Register today at steps2honor@gmail.com.  All certificates will be issued at the end of the 2009 program.

WHEN CAN I START?  You can start NOW!  The program runs from Memorial Day until September 11, but many of us walk in honor of our heroes 365 days a year.  We have chosen to focus on this particular time period as we introduce the program because these months typically have patriotic holidays and warm weather.  Memorial Day reminds us of the ultimate sacrifices that have been made for ALL of us.  September 11 is a date that will always have significant meaning to ALL of us as we are reminded of the many who were tragically killed by terrorist attacks, and the many that stepped up to protect us on that day in 2001.

CAN I STILL PARTICIPATE IF THE PROGRAM HAS ALREADY STARTED?  Yes! You can start TODAY!  This is an awareness program.  If you walk only one mile in a hero’s honor, we have accomplished our goal!  Keeping track of total mileage is optional and there are no prizes for most miles STEPPED.  It’s not about us and how much we STEP.  It is about honoring our heroes!

HOW DO I GET STARTED?  The only real answer is “just start stepping”, but if you would like to honor your hero in our program here is what you need to do:

1.  Go to our STEPS to HONOR blog site at http://stepstohonor.blogspot.com and click FOLLOW.  As a follower you are able to keep up with our updates. You can also subscribe to our blog from this webpage.

2.  Register by sending us an email to steps2honor@gmail.com.  We want to know who is participating in our program.  Send us your name, city and state where you live, and your email address. We will not give this information out to any third parties.

3. If you would like to participate in our blog, you must have a google (gmail) account.  Register for a google account and then send your google email address to steps2honor@gmail.com.  You will also have to register with www.blogger.com.  Once we receive your request, we will add you to our list of blog authors.  You will then be able to post information about your heroes and your STEPS to HONOR them.  Please keep all posts positive and encouraging.  We will delete any posts that are not written with respect and honor of our heroes.  Inappropriate posts and pictures will cause you to lose blogging privileges on our website.  

DO I HAVE TO JOIN THE BLOG?   No.  You only need to register.  You can honor a hero without recording your experience on our blog, but you might want to consider participating to generate more awareness and honor for your hero.  Sharing your experience with others will encourage them to consider taking a few STEPS to HONOR!  You will get a chance to share your hero’s story with the rest of us and allow us the opportunity to honor that individual as well.  It’s time to encourage patriotism with positive stories of service and sacrifice of those that make the USA a great nation!

HOW DO I KEEP TRACK OF MILEAGE?  There is a spreadsheet available that will help you to keep an account of your mileage.  You are not required to use the spreadsheet, but it is available for your convenience if you are interested in keeping track of your mileage.  We hope you will keep track of your STEPS to HONOR and let us know about your accomplishments and the heroes you are honoring with your STEPS!

CAN I HONOR MORE THAN ONE HERO?  Absolutely!  You can honor one hero with every mile or you can honor a different hero with each mile.  

HOW CAN I HONOR SOMEONE IF I DON’T KNOW ANYONE SERVING?  If you don’t know anyone personally, you can go to one of the websites listed below to find a name of a fallen hero.  Additionally, you can inquire about those in your local community that are currently serving and STEP in honor of them.

To choose a fallen US military hero visit:
    http://projects.washingtonpost.com/fallen/

To choose a fallen law enforcement officer visit The Officer Down Memorial Page, Inc.
    http://www.odmp.org/

To choose a fallen firefighter visit National Fallen Firefighters Foundation:
    http://www.firehero.org/index1.aspx?BD=17213

CAN I NOMINATE A HERO?  Yes!  If you have a particular hero that you would like to honor, please add them to your blog post.  If you are not a member of our blog team, you can send us your hero’s information.  Please include as much information as possible such as name, rank, years served/serving.  For security reasons, please do not submit any confidential information that can not be put on our website. Remember, some of our heroes are still serving and many have jobs which require them to keep their identities private.  Please respect any rules that are set in place with regard to release of information.  We need to respect the privacy of those who work so hard to protect us from harm and can not put anyone at unnecessary risk.

HOW MUCH DOES IT COST TO PARTICIPATE?  Nothing but your time! There is no charge to participate in STEPS to HONOR.  This awareness program is free.  We do have t-shirts available for purchase.  All proceeds will benefit military families through programs run by Military Missions, Inc., a 501(c)(3) nonprofit public charity.  If you are interested in purchasing a t-shirt, please visit www.militarymissionsonline.com/stepstohonor.htm.  Purchasing a t-shirt helps to spread the word and make everyone aware that we have many heroes who need to be appreciated and encouraged.  To order a STEPS to HONOR t-shirt, click here!

WHAT IS MILITARY MISSIONS, INC.?  Military Missions, Inc. is an IRS approved 501(c)(3) non-profit organization made up of volunteers who want to be sure that our troops, and their families, are always encouraged.  The organization has a number of opportunities available that give everyone a chance to say "thank you" to our military.  Get to know us and find out how you can support our military and their families beyond the yellow ribbon.
Our organization plays the role of facilitator in a community where civilians and military personnel work and live together.  As our military personnel serve, providing protection and safety for all of us, we work to give something back to our troops and their families.
Our role in supporting our military and their families is ever changing as we continue to work with groups, businesses, and individuals that want to do something special to say thank you to our troops serving in harm’s way and their families serving here on the home front.

TELL ME ANOTHER WAY TO HONOR MY HERO!  Honor one of your heroes with a donation given in their honor.  Military Missions, Inc. will send a letter acknowledging your donation to the person of your choice.  Your donation allows you to include your hero’s picture on the Military Missions Wall of Honor.  After you have made your donation, submit a jpeg image of your hero to mmwallofhonor@gmail.com.  Please allow 3 days for your hero’s picture to be posted on our website.  Include the name, rank, years served/serving if you would like the information posted with your hero’s picture.  For security reasons, please do not submit any confidential information that can not be put on our website.  To find out how to add your hero to Military Missions Wall of Honor, go to www.militarymissionsonline.com/donateinhonor.htm.  To visit the Wall of honor, go to www.militarymissionsonline.com/wallofhonor.htm.

Thank you for visiting our website.  We hope you will join us to honor America’s greatest heroes by taking STEPS to HONOR!

One of our group members at Military Missions had a great idea.  Allyson suggested forming groups to walk or run together for STEPS to HONOR.  There are a lot of us that prefer exercising with a friend or a group.  It keeps us accountable and it's a lot of fun. 

We've decided to form a group here in Lexington.  We will meet together (details TBA) and walk or run together once a week.  We are all going to purchase STEPS to HONOR t-shirts and wear them while we are walking.  All participants will be walking to honor the heroes of their choice. 

Imagine how many people will start to ask questions when they see your group walking by and everyone is wearing a STEPS to HONOR t-shirt!  Your group is sure to catch the attention of people in your community and you can get even more people involved in this awareness program.  Take pictures of your group and send them to us.  We will post them on the website....or even better, you can become a member of our blog team and post the information yourself!

If you form a group in your area, let us know and we will post a link on the website so others in your community can join you in your efforts.  Send an email to steps2honor@gmail.com.  We will need the following to post your group’s information:

Contact name (this will not be posted on the website; we just need a contact name)
City/State where your group meets
Specific location to meet for group walks/runs
Meeting time/day of week/date
Contact email address

FAMILY PLANS TO HONOR THEIR DEPLOYED MARINE WITH 2500 MILES THIS SUMMER!  Looking for a way to get your extended family more connected?  I have a friend who has a son that is currently deployed.  There are 16 extended family members across the country.  They are going to collectively walk 2500 miles for their Marine this summer.  Each person is purchasing a STEPS to HONOR t-shirt and is committing to walking a certain distance each week to honor their deployed Marine.  

This idea works well for any group that wants to honor a particular hero.  Perhaps you have a hero in the neighborhood, at work, at school, at church, or in some other group to which you belong.  Everyone can work together to honor that special hero.  Join our blog and share about your progress!