August will be full of fair- and football-related activities, but two organizations will be honoring hometown heroes who lost their lives in Afghanistan.
Saturday, the Willow Creek Triathlon will give out awards named for Master Sergeant Thom Maholic of Bradford, who died June 24, 2006, when his patrol unit came in contact with enemy forces using small-arms fire during a cordon and search mission in Afghanistan.
Maholic, who was a triathlete himself, was a Green Beret with the Special Forces.
Then on August 15, US Navy Lt. Mike McGreevy of Portville, New York, will be honored during the annual McGreevy Run for Heroes starting at Portville Central School.
McGreevy was a Navy SEAL, who died in a helicopter crash in June 28, 2005, while on a rescue mission in Afghanistan.
The Willow Creek event is held on the same day as the Don Raabe Big 30 All-Star Charities Classic football game, which has dedicated games to two serviceman who played in the game.
US Army Staff Sergeant Kenneth VanGiesen of Kane died in Afghanistan on July 18, 2011, of wounds suffered when enemy forces attacked his convoy with an improvised explosive device.
He played in the 26th game.
The Big 30 alumnus who has received world-wide attention is Jason Dunham of Scio, New York.
In April of 2004 Marine Corporal Dunham threw himself on a live grenade during Operation Iraqi Freedom. He died eight days later at the age of 22.
He was honored posthumously with the Medal of Honor in 2006. Dunham was the first Marine to receive the Medal of Honor in the Iraq war and the first Marine to receive the medal since the Vietnam War. And a US Navy guided missile destroyer has been named the USS Jason Dunham.
During halftime of the 2007 Big 30 game Dunham’s jersey number was retired.