In honor of our nation’s fallen military and first responders, participants in the Carry The Load relay set out from Santa Maria Thursday morning on a route that will culminate in a two-day event in Dallas, Texas.

The month-long campaign aims to raise awareness and encourage people of all ages to remember our fallen heroes and their many sacrifices.

The national relay travels 20,000 miles and covers 48 states.

There are five routes starting from different parts of the country and meeting in Dallas for a memorial march over the weekend of May 26-27.

The West Coast route started on Thursday, May 2 in Seattle, Washington.