Statesboro humanitarian John Long will begin his annual 50 mile walk Friday, May 14, 2021 at 3 PM at Connection Church located at 1342 Cawana Road. He will end his walk on Saturday, May 15th at Connection before a noon Fallen Officer Memorial service held at the church.
Members of the Blue Knights International Law Enforcement Motorcycle club will escort Long into the memorial service at noon.
May 15 is the national Peace Officers Memorial Day. The public is invited to both events. This is the fifth year Long has completed this walk.
Longs 50 Mile Walking Route
When Long leaves Connection Church he will then walk North on Cawana Road to Brannen Street to the Veterans Memorial Parkway. Once reaching the parkway he will turn right and continue walking for the next 20 hours making two complete loops of the parkway. Long will be caring the Blue Line flag. He will have police escorts throughout the walk.
In addition, there will be volunteer walkers joining him for parts of the route and several motorcycle organizations will be circling the bypass throughout the walk. One motorcycle organization plans to have riders on the bypass all night in support of Long.
This will be the first year that Long is being joined by walkers for the entire route. Todd Olsen an officer with the GSU PD is joining him along with Becky Hyke, Long's daughter.
Becky is flying in from Lowry City, Missouri where she lives to join her dad on the 50 mile walk.
Walking to Remember Fallen Police Officers Sacrifice
The purpose of this walk is to support law enforcement and honor those who have lost their lives in the line of duty.
"May 15th is Law Enforcement Memorial Day. Five years ago I ponded about what could a person do to make a loud statement about not just my convictions, but my support for law enforcement, I decided to make the walk carrying the blue line flag and thus that is how 50 for the Fallen five-0 got started," said John Long.
Long is accepting donations that will be distributed to six different police foundations. He would love for your contributions to support our police officers.
All of the money John Long raises will be distributed between these six police foundations:
- Georgia Police K9 Foundation
- Bulloch County Sheriff's Explore Program
- Bulloch County Sheriffs Foundation
- Statesboro Police Officers Foundation
- Peace Officers Association of Georgia
Video Featuring Sheriff Brown, Chairman Thompson and Officers Supporting Long's Walk
In a video produced by supporters of Long's walk, Bulloch County Sheriff Noel Brown, Bulloch County Commission Chairman Roy Thompson and his wife Deborah and Corporal J.D. Lewis, Statesboro Police Department share their support. They encourage others in the community to support the walk financially or in any way that they can.
Fallen Law Enforcement Memorial Service Saturday at Noon
Jon Burns, Majority Leader of the Georgia House of Representatives will be providing the address at the Fallen Law Enforcement Memorial Service on Saturday, May 15, beginning at 12 noon at Connection Church.
