More than 600 community members gathered Saturday morning on the Charleston High School track to honor Illinois soldiers as part of the third-annual “Run for the Fallen.”

The event, organized by Vivian Bales, Bill and Cheryl Lair, Carolyn Cloyd of the Mattoon United Way, and the Charleston Parks and Recreation Department, invited community members to walk or run a mile in honor of the 252 Illinois soldiers who have died while serving in Iraq and Afghanistan.

To honor a specific soldier, each participant received a small U.S. flag and a card bearing a photo and biographical information of one of the 252 Illinois soldiers before they began their laps.

When participants completed their mile, they could plant their flag in the end zone of the football field and ring a bell.

Jaye Roberts, of Arcola, was able to choose the card she walked with: that of her son, Cpl. Allen Roberts.

Allen joined the Marines in November 2004 after graduating from Arcola High School.

“He always wanted to be a Marine,” Jaye said. “It was his goal in life.” 

Allen died on Nov. 28, 2007, in Al Asad, Iraq. He was operating a Humvee turret when the vehicle overturned. He was 21.

 “I miss him,” Jaye Roberts said, choking back a sob as she clutched the card in her hand.

Luci Englum, of Charleston, grew up in Arcola and knew of Allen. She and her 4-year-old daughter, Maggie Englum, ran all four laps in honor of Allen and other local soldiers.

Luci Englum said she hopes the event illustrates the high cost of war and the sacrifices made by soldiers.

“Especially for my daughter, who doesn’t quite understand the concept of war, this kind of brings it home,” she said as she looked down at Maggie with reddening eyes.

As participants streamed through the track completing their miles, one man was determined to walk for the duration of the event.

Charleston resident Brian Bales, 21, walked all six hours of the “Run for the Fallen” in full combat uniform while carrying a 50-pound camouflage rucksack on his back.

Brian, son of organizer Vivian Bales, served two tours of duty in Iraq as part of the 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division stationed out of Fort Hood, Texas. 

He said he was determined to walk all six hours in honor of those soldiers who have died and still serve within his brigade.

“One mile just isn’t enough for me,” he said. “All of my friends and battle buddies who are still deployed, they don’t get breaks.”

Sweat already seeping through his uniform at 8 a.m., Brian carried a pocketful of small U.S. flags he planted in the end zone after each mile he walked.

With a slight moment of rest in the end zone, Brian grasped the bell and flung it over its axis after each flag he planted, the ringing overpowering the patriotic music played over loudspeakers.

As Brian continued his laps in the growing morning heat, Maggie Englum approached him with shy hesitation.

She thanked him quietly before scuttling off to hide behind her mother’s legs.

 “I don’t think they hear that enough,” Luci Englum said.

Tim Deters can be reached at 581-2812 or [email protected].