MEMORIAL DAY WALK 2026

The annual Memorial Day Walk will take place this Saturday, May 23rd, in Roane County to honor veterans and raise awareness about veteran suicide. Organized by County Commissioner and Veteran Shannon Hester, the event commemorates the roughly 22 veterans and active-duty service members who die by suicide each day in the United States. Participants will walk approximately six miles along Highway 58, starting at the Highway 72 and 58 junction south of Kingston and ending at the Roane County Courthouse, while carrying 22 American flags in tribute. The walk will be led by local active-duty military personnel, veterans, and supportive community members. Walkers are asked to gather at the Roane County Courthouse at 7:30 a.m. to board a bus to the starting point for an 8 a.m. departure, with the event expected to conclude around 11 a.m. at the courthouse veterans memorial. Community members can participate by walking, cheering along the route, or attending the finish. The Roane County Sheriff’s Department will provide safety escorts with cruisers, and motorists are urged to drive carefully. The Memorial Day Walk serves as both a tribute to fallen service members and an ongoing effort to highlight the issue of veteran suicide.