By Rusty Nixon
Correspondent

PLYMOUTH — A man who had an influence in the life of everyone he met will continue to do so, even in death.

On Aug. 1, the third annual Memorial 5K to honor Sgt. Maj. Jeff McLochlin will start at the Young Amphitheater in Centennial Park,  Plymouth with registration at 7:15 a.m. The run honors the former Plymouth Police Officer who died while serving his country in Afghanistan. He died on July 5, 2006 while conducting combat operations.

“It always just impresses me so much whenever we have the run, talking to all the soldiers who served with Jeff,” said Madeline Johns, who along with McLochlin’s widow Nicholle helps to organize the annual charity event. “It just seems that he had such a deep effect on everybody he met.”

Jeff McLochlin joined the United States Army in August 1986. He served on active duty with the Army’s elite 75th Ranger Battalion until May 1990. Jeff served in Operation Just Cause, December 1989, where he parachuted into Panama to conduct combat operations. After his active duty career Jeff joined the Indiana Army National Guard and was deployed to Desert Shield-Desert Storm.
In January 2004 Jeff deployed to Bosnia Herzegovina and made his final deployment to Afghanistan in October 2005.

His many awards in-clude the Bronze Star, Purple Heart, five Army Commendation Medals, three Army Achievement Medals, Ranger Tab, Combat Infantry Badge with Star, Expert Infantry Badge and Parachute Badge with Bronze Star.

An avid runner, friends organized the Memorial run as a tribute to their friend with all proceeds going to charity.

“He had a way of making everybody around him feel safer,” said Johns. “One of the best parts of the run is getting together with all the people who knew Jeff and sharing about him.”

Entry forms can be picked up at the Plymouth Fire Department, the Rochester Police Department, the Fulton County Sheriff’s Department, the Wellness Center in Rochester, Country Lanes Bowling in Rochester, and KLC Design in Rochester.

Questions can be directed to 574-935-3797,  This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it or visit www.myspace.com/jeffmclochlinmemorialrun.