Michael Chamberland rallies support for Milton Moves for Our Troops

The challenges faced by America's wounded warriors hit close to home for Milton resident Michael Chamberland. That's why he decided to organize the first Milton Moves for Our Troops walk/run.

“In small town communities, there's such a melting pot of ideas and perspectives and experiences and for Milton,” he said. “I want it to be something that people – no matter what walk of life you come from – can relate to and want to support.”

Chamberland, owner of The EDGE Martial Arts Academy on Mulberry Street, hopes to gather a crowd Saturday, Oct. 18, for a walk/run to benefit the Wounded Warrior Project, a national organization that raises funds and support for wounded members of the military. A $10 registration – to benefit Wounded Warriors – will begin at 1:30 p.m. at The EDGE Academy and participants will run or walk about two miles from Mulberry Street to Federal Street, then Union Street and back to the academy.

“Donations are great,” Chamberland said. “But when you actively do something with your body and you're actually giving your energy and your time, you have a personal investment that way.”

Military service runs in Chamberland's family, he said – his father was a military man, and two of his cousins have suffered injuries on the front lines in the Middle East.

Chamberland said the idea for the event came one day when he noticed a headline about a story involving Justin Beiber, highlighted above the rest of the day's stories. He also noticed a smaller story about four soldiers who were killed in Afghanistan.

“We're paying attention to what's not very important and what is important is kind of being pushed aside,” he said.

At The EDGE Academy, Chamberlain works with a variety of clients, from 5-year-olds to senior citizens, but with so many children having access to worldwide information – like news videos and constant reports about ISIS – he said he gets questions he never expected as a safety and fitness instructor.

One thing he hopes to teach children, he said, is that people not much older than his students are leaving school, graduating, donning uniforms and facing combat.

He hopes the walk catches on with other local residents and businesses. He's purchased 100 American flags for participants to carry through the town, but said he doesn't expect to give them all away in the first year. He hopes for at least 25 people to sign up for the walk/run, and to increase participation to continue the event annually.

He said he also plans to invite local veterans to speak at his classes and have students write thank you notes to deployed military throughout the year.

“There's different things that we can do to remind our folks about service,” he said. “I want kids to understand that there's something very noble about service.”

For more information about Milton Moves for Our Troops, call Chamberland at 302-242-5891.