The month of April is known world-wide for the "legendary" Boston Marathon, but if the global grassroots bread-giving organization Spread the Bread has its way, the month of May will be known for the Bread Marathon.
The month of April is known world-wide for the "legendary" Boston Marathon, but if the global grassroots bread-giving organization Spread the Bread has its way, the month of May will be known for the Bread Marathon. Except for this marathon you won’t need sneakers, just a lot of heart, an oven and a favorite bread recipe. People will bake and spread the bread to honor our veteran and soldier heroes in the days leading up to Memorial Day.
Since its official inception in 2001, Spread the Bread has taught millions they can "bake a difference" by baking bread, any kind of bread, then tying that bread with a note of hope, inspiration or gratitude and offering that bread to honor a hero or support someone in need.
Word spread and so has the countless loaves of bread spread across this country and around the world. They pay tribute to police, firefighters, veterans, soldiers and others who have supported us in some way. Bread is also used to remember those in need – the elderly, the sick, the hungry, the homeless, and the tired.
Six years later, this bread-giving legacy is now contagious with hundreds of thousands, maybe millions, of loaves of bread spread. Bread groups are hosted in almost every state in the U.S., and are currently forming in many countries around the world, including Canada, France, Australia, Hungry, South Korea, Kuwait and Zimbabwe.
The breads are made in all different sizes, shapes and flavors from many different cultures and are spread for many different reasons – honor breads, memorial breads, prayer breads, celebration breads, and more.
During the month of May, Spread the Bread is asking Girl Scouts, Boy Scouts, schools, universities, religious youth groups, and other clubs and organizations to participate in this Bread Marathon by starting their ovens and baking bread for a veteran, a military service person or a fallen hero’s family in remembrance of Memorial Day.
But it doesn’t stop there. The youth are also being asked to reach out using e-mail, phone, letters or through conversation to more groups of friends and family to spread the word to spread the bread.
"Think about how many people you could ask to bake a loaf of bread to honor someone who has sacrificed for our country and our freedoms," said co-founder Karen Kiefer.
Individuals or groups can organize bread drives or just spread bread to someone they know who has served our country. Breads can be spread to veterans, veteran’s shelters, VA hospitals, active military personnel, the families of those serving overseas, those who have served, the families of those who have passed and more.
From Hopkinton, Mass., to Seoul, South Korea, the first ever Bread Marathon can spread miles of breads to honor our brave men and women serving our nation and our veteran heroes around the world.
After the bakers have crossed the finish line, or in bread terms, after they’ve "baked a difference," they should send Spread the Bread an e-mail to "email@example.com" so the organization can tally the loaves of bread spread and the miles of smiles spanned. Here’s hoping for lots of reasons to spread the bread praise!
For more information visit "www.spreadthebread.org"