Operation Stand Down RI to Place 6,844 Boots During Boots on the Ground Memorial

Operation Stand Down RI to Place 6,844 Boots During Boots on the Ground Memorial

Operation Stand Down RI (OSDRI) will host the first annual Boost on the Ground for Heroes Memorial this Memorial Day weekend from Friday, May 27 at 5 p.m. to Monday May 30 at 4 p.m. The event will honor all of  Rhode Island's veterans American heroes who were killed in action defending the country during the war on terror by marking their lives with a boot, a flag and a name placard. 

Overall, OSDRI will place 6,844 boots  in the field by the Temple to Music at Roger Williams Park throughout the weekend. 

OSDRI has spent the last nine months collecting boots from all over the state to host this event. Last week over 100 volunteers came together to help lace over 6,000 boots for the event. 

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The Ceremony 

A formal ceremony will be held on Saturday, May 28 at 11 a.m.  where Sgt. Major Todd Parisi will deliver the keynote address. 

Parisi is a retired Marine who saved in Rhode Island from 2003 to 2006 as the casualty Assistance Call Officer for 10 Rhode Island families. In total, he saved 28 years in the Marine Corps which included 7 tours of duty , three of which were to Iraq. 

Operation Stand Down RI 

Operation Stand Down Rhode Island (OSDRI) is an independent 501(c)(3) non-profit organization and Rhode Island's primary nonprofit resource for homeless and at-risk veterans. Founded in 1993 and headquartered in Johnston, OSDRI's mission is to help veterans secure stable housing and employment.