While there should not be a day that goes by that we fail to remember our troops, there are occasions when we are reminded all the more of their courage and their dedication.

One of these occasions is the Fourth of July. Various organizations observed Independence Day with activities in support of our troops; in the case of Move America Forward (MAF), celebration came a bit early through a Standing for Our Soldiers Troopathon.

The Troopathon was held on Thursday, July 1, and based on a Fourth of July message from Gold Star Mom Debbie Lee on the Troopathon website, the event was quite a success. It was the third such holding of the event, which raised more than $541,000 for service members. Move America Forward is an organization that describes itself as “a non-partisan, not-for-profit organization committed to supporting America’s efforts to defeat terrorism and supporting the brave men and women of our Armed Forces.”

Among the guests who attended this year’s Standing for Our Troops Troopathon, as shared by Debbie Lee, are Rush Limbaugh, Sean Hannity, Mark Levin, Laura Ingraham and Dr. Laura Schlessinger, who also attended previous Troopathons. Gary Sinise and Kelsey Grammer submitted interviews, while the new faces who graced this year’s event included Michele Bachmann, Chuck DeVore, and Sarah Palin.

While thanking those who supported the event, Debbie Lee also reminded everyone that Move America Forward was still accepting donations. Those who are interested are still encouraged to send care packages to deployed troops through (MAF).