100 mile run to World Trade Center winds through Smithtown

St. James, NY (SmithtownRadio.com) – A group of 25 Marines are winding their way across Long Island on a 100 mike trek to the World Trade Center.

“We do it every year on Memorial Day to interrupt the holiday,” says Nick Boyko, of Pittsburgh, who served  in Iraq in 2005, as he marches down Jericho Turnpike in Smithtown. “We want to make it known we’re getting in people’s way to make [the holiday] more memorable for everybody.”

The 3rd Battalion of the 25th Marines Regiment is running 100 miles from Orient Point to the World Trade Center to raise funds for the Hope for the Warriors organization. As of 4 p.m. Saturday, the run raised nearly $30,000 to support wounded U.S. service members, their families, and families of the fallen.

“These guys are giving up their time on Memorial Day weekend to remember guys from their company that they lost overseas,” says Jimmy Keane, Assistant Chief of the Nesconset Fire Department, which helped hang two larger than life American flags over the roadway for the Marines to walk under. “The least we can do is give up some hot dogs and sodas and let them know that everybody still cares.”

The group is expected to reach the memorial site in lower Manhattan Sunday morning.