The University of Memphis ROTC program will host a memorial run in honor of fallen cadet Gerold Blum, who died in his sleep in December.
The Gerold Blum Memorial Run will begin at 6 a.m. Friday in the grassy field on Zach H. Curlin Street and encircle the University of Memphis.
Originally, the race was supposed to be a sponsored 5K, but logistical issues threatened to cancel the event. Organizers ultimately decided to go ahead with the memorial run without sponsors, but plan to make the event an annual fundraiser with the proceeds going to a charity of the Blum family's choosing.
"This is what the military does," Master Sergeant Jimmy Smith said. "We take care of our own and honor our fallen."
Blum was a freshman enrolled at the University of Memphis, and was one of two students to have a full four-year scholarship through the ROTC program, in addition to being the only freshman on the program's Ranger Team. Blum died from natural causes on Dec. 19.
"He often spoke very highly of wanting to be in the military and wanting to be a commissioned officer, Smith said. "He really had the qualities and the traits to be a phenomenal future leader within our ranks for us, his contributions, his energy and his work ethic made it a no-brainer to want to do this on his behalf."
Friends of Blum or any other interested parties just need to show up Friday if they are interested in running.
"There is no need to sign up, you can just show up and run," Smith said. "If you have strollers, or if you have a dog that is not necessarily a concern of ours, we just want you to show up and run."
While the event is open to the public, invitations were sent to other branches of the ROTC program as well the members of Lambda Chi, the fraternity Blum was in line to join.
"We are very excited about it, and we will have a bunch of guys there on Friday morning running the race with everyone," Domenic Martini, president of Lambda Chi, said. "We are just happy to see the community coming together again over Gerold, and we are also happy that the ROTC reached out to us and made us a part of it."
