1,014 weeks strong: Meet Lynchburg’s veteran group that gathers every Friday

Their first meeting was on Nov. 13, 2001

LYNCHBURG, Va. – Across the country, there are groups dedicated to honoring our servicemen and women.

What makes one Lynchburg group special is that they’ve gathered for 1,014 consecutive weeks.

The Monument Terrace Troop Rally is held every Friday at noon, regardless of the weather.

It includes patriotic flags and the singing of the national anthem.

Veterans in attendance range all branches from World War II to Iraq and Afghanistan.

Steve Bozeman helped organize the first rally after the Sept. 11th terrorist attacks. They met for the first time on Nov. 13, 2001, to counter-protest a group standing against going to war.

“We had about 80 people. They had about 12 protestors. We stood over here and up on top. Then, the next Friday was Pearl Harbor Day, December 7th, so that generated enough interest to come back again,” said Bozeman.

More than a thousand weeks later, the group has no plans to stop anytime soon.


About the Author:

Tim Harfmann joined the 10 News team in September 2020 and works at the station's Lynchburg bureau.