Veterans Day 5K Fun Run or Walk

We will be conducting a fun run or walk to honor Veterans, on Veterans Day Weekend, Saturday, Nov. 9, 2024.

Participants can run or walk in beautiful Hampton Park, Charleston, SC, or they can participate virtually at the time and place of their choosing. All registrants will receive a long sleeve shirt commemorating the event. Participants at the event in Hampton Park will pick up their shirts at the event. Virtual participants will receive their shirts by mail (to a US, APO or FPO address). TO BE GUARANTEED A SHIRT, YOU MUST REGISTER NO LATER THAN OCTOBER 9, 2024.

For the event in Hampton Park, we will mark off a distance of 5k (going around the park 3 times) but participants can run or walk a shorter or longer distance, if they choose. There will be no timers, no medals, and no awards. We conducted a Veterans Day 5k race in November 2023, at The Citadel, with a certified course, timing, numbers, medals, age groups and other categories, awards, vendors and refreshments. We hope to conduct a similar event in November 2025 but, this year, it will be a fun run, without timing or awards, and with shirts and bottled water for participants at the event itself.

Virtual participants can run or walk a 5k distance (or shorter, or longer) distance at a time and place of their choosing. There will be no awards in the virtual category; registrants in that category will not need to submit any information about when they walked or ran the 5k, or how long it took them. They can, of course, post their results on whatever social media they would like. It may take a month, or more, for the virtual participants to receive their shirts, depending on the number of people who register for the virtual option. This event will benefit our veteran community, as explained further below, and the virtual option allows you to show your support of our veterans, and get a shirt commemorating your participation.

PARTICIPANTS CAN DONATE TO HELP OUR VETERAN COMMUNITY. Donors who give $10 or more will be able to make their donation in honor of, or in memory of, the name of a veteran. For each named veteran, a 4"x6" flag, with the veterans name, will be prepared. Participants in the event at Hampton Park can pick up their flags at the event and any flags that are not picked up will be donated for use on veteran graves. For virtual participants, their flags will included in the package with the t-shirt, which will be mailed to them. To make a donation to support our veterans, please click on the DONATE icon at the top of this page.

* WHEN

* November 9, 2024. 9AM

* WHERE

* Hampton Park, 30 Mary Murray Drive, Charleston, South Carolina 29403

* WHY

Many Low Country veterans are in need of food and other basic essentials. There are about 2,500 veterans living below the poverty line in Charleston, and one out of every five Low Country residents getting food at local food banks is a veteran. Further, over 11% of veterans, from ages 18 to 64, report food insecurity; that's more than twice the rate for non-veterans. Recently, these problems have worsened significantly for our veterans, due to the termination of COVID-related government aid, combined with high inflation.

Many local veterans also need support for their mental well-being. Multiple deployments and other stresses of military service have left many veterans with invisible wounds: injuries to their mental health. The rate of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) among soldiers is nearly 15 times higher than the rate for civilians. For veterans currently leaving military service, it is estimated that: 30% have, or will have, PTSD symptoms; 20% suffered a traumatic brain injury; and 10% have an addiction to substances. These invisible wounds, often combined with the financial difficulties described above, have led to an alarming rate of homelessness and suicide within our veteran community. The homeless rate for veterans is twice that of non-veterans, and the suicide rate is 1.5 times greater than that of non-veterans. About 22 veterans commit suicide a day, and nearly three quarters are not under VA care. Since 9/11, the number of veterans our country has lost to suicide is more than 4 times greater than the number of combat deaths.

This Veterans Day 5k event will help Low Country veterans who need -- and deserve -- our support. Proceeds from this event will go to organizations that provide direct support to Low Country veterans: the Food Pantry at Charleston's Veteran's Hospital; and the Lowcountry Veterans organization. The Food Pantry at the VA Medical Center provides and distributes food to local veterans, and advises on nutrition and health. Lowcountry Veterans provides transitional housing to homeless veterans in the Charleston area, housing up to 300 veterans each year in a drug and alcohol-free environment. It also provides food and transportation, and facilitates educational and employment opportunities, to help veterans find stable employment and housing. If we succeed in raising sufficient funds, we may donate to other veteran service organizations or scholarships that help veterans in the Lowcountry.

Just as important as the financial support, this Veterans Day 5k provides moral support; it sends a message to all of our local veterans that Charleston cares for, values and honors them. With this event, we can help to heal the invisible wounds to our veterans' morale by showing them that they matter to us, and by increasing awareness of these wounds. At the event, participants can learn more about these invisible wounds, how to assess the risk of suicide, and how to get help for veterans at risk of hunger, homelessness or suicide.

If you have any questions or concerns about the 5k, please feel free to call Lisa Deaton at 843-224-7878.