"I remember him talking about it," said Suzanne D'Iorio, co-founder of Taylor's Heroes and aunt to the organization's namesake. "I'll turn 21 on 11/11/11, he'd say." To commemorate the occasion, the family is doing a lot more than having a birthday party.

Partnering with Taylor's mother, Leslie, the two grieving women are turning their loss into the community's gain in the form of Taylor's Heroes, a nonprofit organization that aims to promote fitness and nutrition to the children of Saratoga County and provide a service that Taylor himself would have utilized.

"Taylor was an overweight child," D'Iorio said. "The only thing that really motivated him to get in shape was the army and that wasn't until he was 18. He lost more and more weight in boot camp and was in the best shape of his life."

Finding that motivation, a sport or activity that a child can identify with, is one of the organization's main goals.

"Kids who don't feel comfortable joining competitive sports or who have low self- esteem fall between the cracks," D'Iorio said. "We introduce them to multiple options, like yoga and weightlifting, to see if they can find one they like. It is a non-competitive environment."

With unintimidating athletics and the guidance of a professional nutritionist, Taylor's Heroes helps children to develop healthy, lifelong habits and fulfills an essential, previously unmet, community need. According to the 2010-2013 Saratoga County Public Health Community Assessment, Saratoga County Unmet Needs' section, physical activity and nutrition were ranked as the "top priority" and obesity was identified as a major health concern.

The evening will also include a cash bar and silent auction. For more information about the fundraiser and ticket prices, visit http://taylorsheroes.com/main/home.html.

With the New York State Department of Health reporting almost 15 percent of the county's children as obese, an organization like Taylor's Heroes is a perfect starting point for Saratoga County.

And Taylor's birthday is the perfect day for a formal debut.

On November 11, 2011, celebrate Veterans Day by honoring a true veteran's birthday- and join Taylor's Heroes for their inaugural fundraising event: A Guitar Hero Fundraiser. Attendees will receive the rock star treatment, with paparazzi, red carpet and the women from Fusion giving Rock Star makeovers.