Hero’s memory important part of Rockford Fun Days

By Bob Steenson, bsteenson@charlescitypress.com

Solemn remembrances played roles in otherwise festive events Saturday as part of Rockford Fun Days.

The event included the usual games, food, refreshments and entertainment, but also honored a fallen community hero.

Petty Officer Jon “J.T.” Tumilson was one of 30 American troops and one military service dog killed in Wardak Province, Afghanistan, when their helicopter was shot down Aug. 6, 2011, en route to a combat mission.

The Navy SEAL was an avid runner, often accompanied by his dog, Hawkeye, and events Saturday paid tribute to that love.

The Jon Tumilson “Go Crush It” 5K memorial run with a couple of hundred competitors was held early in the morning at the Floyd County Fossil and Prairie Park, and the Jon Tumilson Frogman Fun Run offered an event for less serious runners later in the morning.

Tumilson was also remembered with a motorcycle ride Saturday. Proceeds of the ride are being used to help another veteran, Anthony Martin, who makes military and veteran-themed carvings out of logs with a chainsaw.

Martin was at the Fun Days Saturday, showing off many of his carvings. Other military-related groups and vendors had tents set up as well.

Martin’s goal is to make a carved wooden battlefield cross — a helmet perched on the butt of a rifle, standing upright behind military boots — for the families of each of the 98 Iowans killed in action since Sept. 11, 2001.

Also part of the day’s events were a parade; kickball, bean bag and disc golf tournaments; face painting and inflatables; an evening meal feast at the firehouse; a dead engine drag race (essentially putting two vehicles into neutral and having two competitors shove them down the street); topped off by fireworks.