Carry the Load | Team Rucked Up:Â Cody Phipps, Kenny, Chris Stoy, Susan Hutchison, Ellen LoBue
Sponsored by Stoy Law Group, PLLC
Susan and Chris joined Team Rucked Up for the Carry the Load Challenge at Rverchon Park in Dallas, Texas on Memorial weekend. The goal was to honor our fallen soldiers and raise money for the Carry the Load organization. Carry the Load in a non-profit organization that provides ways to honor those who dedicate their lives to keeping our nation safe. Since 2011, $6.1 million of the funds raised has gone to organizations that provide services for our nation’s heroes. People could participate in a march either individually or in teams.
Our team was founded by Susan’s nephew, Cody Phipps. Cody served in the United States Army for eight years, with a tour in Afghanistan, where he was wounded and received a purple heart. After leaving the Army, Cody has searched for ways to help and honor his brothers and sisters who serve. Cody, along with team member Kenny, trained for this event by loading up 40 to 50 pounds into their rucksacks and hiking around local trails. For the Carry the Load event in Dallas, Cody and Kenny were determined to spend the night in a tent at the park and keep marching the next day. A giant thunderstorm blew in that night and evacuated the park. Cody and Kenny spent the night in the parking garage and continued the march the next morning with full rucksacks—completing thirty miles, each carrying 50 lbs.
Another important organization to Cody, along with us at Stoy Law Group, is 22 Kill, an organization dedicated to promoting awareness of the tragic rate of veteran suicide. An average of twenty-two veterans a day take their own lives. The purpose of 22 Kill “is to ensure that veterans are provided with the tools and knowledge to create an actionable plan upon leaving the service. This way, veterans are less likely to fall into what we call a ‘downward spiral’ – which can include loss of identity and self-worth, depression, and drug and alcohol abuse.†We must do everything we can to stop this terrible epidemic.
Chris and Susan both have family members who have served in the military, including Chris’s father, Harry Stoy, who was a medic in the Air Force. Veterans’ issues are important to us at Stoy Law Group, PLLC and we have represented many veterans experiencing employment discrimination. If you or someone you love is experiencing depression, anxiety, PTSD or discrimination as a result of these conditions or veteran status, contact us or any of the following organizations for help.
For more information on veteran organizations, see these links:
