On April 15, 2016, Detective Marilyn Edwards #8189 was notified that the department would not have an official team to represent in the Carry The Load event for this year.  Carry the Load is dear to the heart of Detective Edwards for personal reasons.  Detective Edwards is an Operation Iraqi Freedom veteran who was called to active duty by the President of the United States in 2005, where she served on an air base in Balad, Iraq.  Therefore, Edwards knows what it is like to serve in a combat zone and had to see comrades that did not come back home alive.  Edwards also walked the halls of the Dallas Police Department Academy and saw the pictures and names of the officers that paid the ultimate sacrifice.  When notified that there would not be a team to represent the department this year, Edwards asked her partner, Detective Ira Carter #8420 if he would be willing to help create a fundraiser to support this important cause. Detective Carter, also a military veteran, agreed that they should support the cause in some kind of way. The duo only had a little over a month to come up with a fundraiser.  After putting their heads together, it was decided that they would try to raise funds selling t-shirts to help reach their goals.   “We wanted a t-shirt that represented our love for the department as well as for the military,” said Detective Carter, who came up with the design for the t-shirts and used a personal contact to assist with the manufacturing.  Initially, the goal was to raise at least $1000.00.

Officers Ransom Funches #6960 and Larry Moody #9291, assisted and sold prepaid orders for t-shirts. Detective Edwards boasted, “I’m proud to announce that on May 26, 2016, a donation of approximately $2000.00 in fund raiser money was donated to Carry the Load on behalf of the Dallas Police Department.” These funds will be used to support the families of law enforcement, military, and fire rescue personnel who paid the ultimate sacrifice.  “There is no ulterior motive, we support this cause because we believe it is the right thing to do,” Edwards explained. As veterans of the police department as well as military, we will never forget the sacrifices of those who paid the ultimate sacrifice.

Carry the Load asks the question, “Whose load are you carrying?”…..We respond for all of the law enforcement officers that paid the ultimate sacrifice, “He is my brother, he is not heavy.” Detective Carter and Edwards will be participating in the event as Load Carriers.

As Load Carriers Edwards and Carter hope to restore the true meaning of Memorial Day. In their own words, “We would like to honor those that paid the ultimate sacrifice by not just having another day off or a barbecue.” Very noble and thoughtful, glad you are here to Carry The Load.

DB