The father of Wentzville’s fallen Marine is coordinating with various bars and restaurants to celebrate his son’s 21^st birthday.

Mark Schmitz is hosting a Pub Crawl for this coming weekend in honor of his son Lance Corporal Jared Schmitz’s 21^st birthday. Schmitz was killed last August from a suicide bombing at the Kabul airport while on deployment.

Currently, over 160 bars are participating in 25 states. Schmitz says the biggest responses have been from Saint Charles County. Brett Hull’s Junction House in Wentzville and Mascots in St. Peters are among familiar local names.

These locations will have specials marked for supporting the Pub Crawl cause.

All proceedings will go to Freedom 13, a nonprofit organization founded by Mark Schmitz. Freedom 13 was started to honor Jared Schmitz. They provide focus on housing and mental wellbeing for veterans and their families.

“He stood for helping people,” Schmitz said, “and we are helping him carry on for it.”

Schmitz plans to make the Pub Crawl an annual event. His goal is to double the number of bars and restaurants from one year to the next. He also plans on getting more nationwide names to add to the list.

For more information on Schmitz’s Pub Crawl and participating restaurants/pubs, go over to the Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/673053353869762/announcements

For information on Freedom 13 or to donate, visit their site: https://thefreedom13.org/