Donnie Edwards, a two-time All-Pro and a 2002 Pro Bowl selection who played 13 seasons with the NFL’s Kansas City Chiefs and San Diego Chargers, and the Best Defense Foundation have teamed up with Events.com to host an Honor Walk on Sunday, Dec. 20, to commemorate the 76th anniversary of the Battle of the Bulge.
The Honor Walk is an opportunity for people to remember the sacrifices and valor exhibited by U.S. troops during the Battle of the Bulge, the battle that turned the tide of World War II and halted Germany’s final offensive push, leading to victory for Allied Forces.
Anyone was welcome to participate in the Honor Walk and participants could walk as long (or short) as they chose. Due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, those who chose to participate were encouraged to practice social distancing.
For more information, visit www.bestdefensefoundation.org. There was no cost to simply get out and participate in the Honor Walk, however there were a number of options to sign up and make a straight donation to the Foundation, or make a contribution to participate in the Walk and receive some great commemorative items. Commemorative items include WWII history books autographed by WWII veterans, T-shirts, experiential opportunities with Edwards, and much more. There also were options to walk as a team in honor of a family member or military unit of your choice.
Re-established in 2018 as a 501c3 nonprofit foundation, the Best Defense Foundation’s mission is to help military veterans and their families. A cornerstone of the program is Edwards’ commitment to bring WWII Veterans back to foreign battlefields to help them find closure and camaraderie with their brothers in arms. In 2019, the Best Defense Foundation brought WWII veterans to six former battle sites: Iwo Jima, Normandy, Battle of the Bulge, the Eagle’s Nest, Holland and Pearl Harbor.
Proceeds raised will help the Best Defense Foundation cover costs associated with helping veterans travel around the world to visit historical battle sites, the ones where they fought for and defended Western freedom.
The Battle of the Bulge was waged over a six week period that began on Dec. 16, 1944 in the Ardennes region of Belgium. It was Adolf Hitler’s last major offensive of WWII as he attempted to split the Allied Forces. Hitler’s German forces largely outnumbered the Allied Troops. All told, the United States lost more than 100,000 men during the Battle of the Bulge. The final major stand of the Battle of the Bulge took place in Bastogne, Belgium, where the United States’ famed 101st Airborne Division rescued thousands of Allied Forces that had been surrounded by the Germans. Ultimately on May 7, Germany surrendered, bringing an end to WWII, the deadliest war in world history.
Edwards was the recipient of the NFL’s prestigious Salute to Service Award in 2020 for his commitment to America’s WWII veterans. During his playing career, Edwards participated in 10 USO Tours, and in 2003, he was part of a special delegation invited aboard the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln when President George Bush delivered his famous Mission Accomplished speech signifying an end to major combat operations in Iraq.
