WATERTOWN, Mass., April 11, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- RallyPoint , America’s leading online network for service members and veterans, today announced the launch of the #FlowerOnEveryGrave campaign for Memorial Day 2017.
This national effort is focused on encouraging service members, veterans and civilians alike to visit their local cemetery on Memorial Day, and place at least one rose on a fallen service member’s grave.
Americans can visit remember.rallypoint.com/flowers to sign up to volunteer or donate. After indicating the state in which they live, they will be provided with information to get involved in laying roses on service members’ graves at their local cemeteries on Memorial Day.
“Memorial Day is about remembering those who’ve paid the ultimate price. We can think of no better way to celebrate the holiday than to bring together service members, veterans, veteran service organizations, great companies and supportive Americans to honor the sacrifices of America’s fallen service members by laying a rose on a grave,” said Dave Gowel, RallyPoint CEO and an Army veteran of Operation Iraqi Freedom.
RallyPoint will work with its network of 1.1 million service members and veterans to help coordinate volunteer efforts across the country, starting with Arlington National Cemetery in Virginia.
Those unable to visit a cemetery on Memorial Day can donate to help the cornerstone effort of the #FlowerOnEveryGrave initiative. RallyPoint has teamed up with non-profit The Memorial Day Flowers Foundation to lay a rose on every one of the 300,000 graves at Arlington National Cemetery in Virginia for the first time ever. Supporters can make donations as small as $5 to help fund this effort.
While RallyPoint brings broad reach and scale that carries this message over digital airwaves, the small, dedicated team at The Memorial Day Flowers Foundation has been leading the charge on the ground since 2011. Last year the Foundation coordinated 500 volunteers who handed out and placed 140,000 roses and other flowers on headstones at Arlington National Cemetery.
“We’re excited to partner with RallyPoint to lay a rose on every single grave at Arlington National Cemetery for Memorial Day,” said Johan Sohn, director of The Memorial Day Flowers Foundation. “Our team has done an incredible job of raising funds and awareness for this great cause over the past few years, and RallyPoint’s new #FlowerOnEveryGrave campaign will help scale this effort and attract more national attention.”
Supporters are encouraged to use the hashtag #FlowerOnEveryGrave on social media to help raise awareness about the campaign, and to share their own stories of honoring the fallen.
Organizations looking to become involved in the #FlowerOnEveryGrave campaign as sponsors or marketing partners can contact Kanika Misra at Kanika@RallyPoint.com .
ABOUT RALLYPOINT: RallyPoint is the online platform where the troops talk. With more than 1.1 million members, RallyPoint is the premier social network for military service members and veterans to come together and discuss military life through both professional and personal perspectives. Visit www.RallyPoint.com to learn more. Follow RallyPoint on Facebook and Twitter @RallyPoint .
MEDIA CONTACT: Allison Borthwick (540) 208-2950 aborthwick@scoutcommsusa.com
