Memorial Day 2019: Rolling Remembrance Campaign raises awareness of Fallen Patriots Foundation

CHICAGO (WLS) -- The mission of the Rolling Remembrance Campaign is simple, to honor our country's fallen service members.

What it takes to achieve that goal is the hard part.

Thirty-eight drivers make 50 stops along nine thousand miles of road - to honor the greatest of sacrifices.

"We just have normal transportation loads of Pepsi going from one plant to the next to provide supplies and they bring the flag along with them as part of the relay," Rolling Remembrance Founder, Jim Farrell said. "We like to call that winning with purpose, we're doing something good while doing our jobs."

Veterans who drive for PepsiCo take an American flag across the country to raise awareness of the Fallen Patriots Foundation.

It gives back by giving scholarships to children who have lost their parent while serving.

And this isn't any ordinary flag.

"The flag was given to us as a gift from an army unit in Afghanistan that we had been sending care packages to," Farrell said. "As a thank you at the end of their deployment they sent us the flag after they flew it on a combat mission in Afghanistan, so it's really important to us."

The flag's journey started in April, up in Seattle.

"Then it goes down through California, out to Las Vegas, to Denver, to Texas, then it works way to Florida..." Farrell said.

The flag made a stop here in Chicago, with its driver, John Collins. He's a former Nevada National Guardsman.

"I'm a military brat. My dad was in the Air Force for 22 years. I just love it, everything they do, especially charity," Collins said.

Collins is headed toward Indianapolis, then he'll pass off the flag to another driver, who will continue the trek.

If all goes as planned, the flag will arrive at the PepsiCo Headquarters in New York state just in time for Memorial Day.

And as the special flag is passed from driver to driver, they remember the reason for their journey.

"Those children, teenagers, whatever they are, they don't have a parent. That takes a toll," Collins said.