HOLLIDAYSBURG, Pa. (WTAJ)-- Members of Team Red, White and Blue completed the fourth leg in their tenth annual "Old Glory Relay" Monday evening at the Blair County Courthouse.
The 52-mile leg of the relay began Monday morning at Penn State's Old Main Lawn before making it's way to Hollidaysburg. In total the one flag will have gone from Philadelphia to Chicago on May 18th, over 1,600 miles in 30 days.
"It's the importance of spreading the word that our veterans are still important to us," Chris McGee, the chapter coordinator for the Lehigh Valley chapter of Team Red, White and Blue said.
McGee was joined by Barbara Evans and other team members they took shifts walking, running, and biking with the flag. McGee hasn't always directly taken part in the relay, but this year it had some special meaning for him.
"But when I heard this year was having a leg ending in my hometown of Hollidaysburg, it was a no-brainer. I had to bring her home," McGee added.
Evans says that the two made several stops on their journey at local businesses to meet with supporters and area veterans.
"People have been so friendly along the way and excited to see us and it's nice to see how important it is to people," Evans said.
The flag Evans and McGee carried will go the whole length of the journey. It was flown by Army Special Forces in Operation Inherent Resolve in Iraq and Syria over the past year. On Tuesday it will be carried by New York State Coordinator for Team Red, White and Blue Edward Rogers and his four-person team as they complete the next leg of the relay, from Hollidaysburg to Blairsville.
"Honestly, you don't even have to be a member of Team RWB to participate," Rogers said. "You can just come out and support us and start walking along. If you're so inspired you can ask to carry the flag for a little while."
Get daily updates on local news, weather and sports by signing up for the WTAJ Newsletter.
Members of the Hollidaysburg American Legion provided a military Jeep to lead the way for Evans and McGee and lined up along Allegheny Street as the fourth leg of the relay ended at the Blair County Courthouse. McGee took a moment to thank all of those who came out to show their support.
"I've got an entire line of legion members lining the roads, I've got a Jeep escort for the last 4 miles," McGee added. "I've got family here, I've got friends here. This is amazing. This is humbling to see what small town America still is."