DALLAS — For a dozen years now, the volunteers and ambassadors of Carry The Load have taken their Memorial Day message on the road.

And, as those five teams inch closer on their journeys to Dallas, they say their motivation to spread that message remains as strong as ever.

The 2023 Carry The Load National Relay, with five routes in all, covers an estimated 20,000 miles, reaching 48 states in 32 days. The West Coast Route began in Seattle. The East Coast Route began in West Point, New York. The New England Route began in Burlington, Vermont. A Midwest Route started in Minneapolis. And the Mountain States Route started in Minot, North Dakota.