JC Grounds Attends Flags on the 48

On September 11th, 2001 the consciousness of the United States of America was undeniably altered by overwhelming and devastating acts of terrorism, so far reaching in their intensity that our country will forever carry the scars. Thousands of lives were lost in a fleeting moment, immeasurable families shattered and countless hearts were broken.

The hiking community continues to honor the deceased with this tribute of flying the American flag atop all 48 four-thousand foot and higher mountains in New Hampshire to express the unwavering support to the families, friends, and communities whose losses are beyond comprehension and whose suffering will be remembered. This inspiring tribute started when 4 days after 9/11/01, six hikers displayed patriotism by hanging the stars and stripes on Mount Liberty. The hiking community rallied around the event, and the following year a more formal event was organized by Chris Oberg, with 10 peaks being covered. Every year since, it has grown, now with over 400 people regularly participating.

Last weekend, JC Grounds team members participated in the annual Flags on the 48 by hiking to the summit of Mount Monroe. Jonathan Crandall, Chief Visionary felt inclined to attend the memorial hike, and include team members, for of his passion for hiking, as a remembrance of the impact of 9/11, and his passion for learning about the team members; who they are, what their goals and aspirations are. Jon considers hiking a great opportunity for this because spending an extended amount of time in a confined space allows team members to open up and share their passions, stories, and some laughs along the way.

The morning of the hike, the weather wasn’t the best, as everything was pretty foggy. However, the experience was still extraordinary. In the afternoon, clouds moved out, and team members were blown away by some of the views from the peak. Many hadn’t spent a lot of time hiking previously and were impressed by the infrastructure of the AMC, Appalachian Mountain Club huts seen during the ascent towards the peak.

Jonathan has hopes of attending next year’s event with more team members, from Mount Liberty, where the event originated. The experience allowed team members to get to know one another better, create bonds, and feel a sense of patriotism and accomplishment together.

                                     “A true team- building experience” - Jonathan Crandall

For more information on the event visit, http://www.flagsonthe48.org/

If you would like to attend next year's event with us, contact us at (978)-532-9368

To see the featured Chronicle episode visit, http://www.wmur.com/article/tu...