Course

We will have Hershel "Woody" Williams VAMC staff and volunteers stationed along the race route to help direct participants through the course. 

Entry Fees

This event is FREE for all who attend! The Hershel "Woody" Williams VAMC is excited to host this walk to raise awareness for suicide prevention and to remember those who have died by suicide. Please come enjoy the day with us at Ritter Park! We are requesting that you register by midnight on 9/23/2022 so we can accurately track our participant numbers. 

Age Groups

Age Group 1: 1 to 11

Age Group 2: 12 to19

Age Group 3: 20 to 29

Age Group 4: 30 to 39

Age Group 5: 40 to 49

Age Group 6: 50 to 59

Age Group 7: 60 to 69

Age Group 8: 70 and up

Awards

The Hershel "Woody" Williams VAMC strives to provide inclusive care to all Veterans who served. This year we are pleased to announce an "open" category to allow participants who do not identify as male or female, or would like to participate in this category, an opportunity for recognition. 

The top overall male, female, and open category runners will receive a specially minted First Place medal! The top male, female, and open category runners for each age group will receive a Veterans Crisis Line Challenge Coin. This unique token is a time-honored military tradition, and a unique way to commemorate your participation in our event.  Please see the following article for an introduction to Challenge Coins!

A Brief Look at the History of Challenge Coins in the Military

Charity Information

The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) is on a mission to end suicide among Veterans in communities across America. Approximately 11 of the 17 Veterans who die by suicide each day are not receiving care from the Veterans Health Administration. We need your help to reach them. We invite you to share your insights, experiences, and resources to shape public health initiatives that support Veterans at risk. One Veteran suicide is one too many. It’s time to act — Are you with us?

Our goal is that the 4th Annual Hershel "Woody" Williams VAMC Suicide Prevention and Remembrance Walk will help to bridge the gap between our at-risk Veterans, community partners, and VA resources to ensure that no Veteran feels alone. Help is available, but the burden should not fall entirely on the Veteran to seek services. We have a responsibility to REACH OUT and offer support to those in crisis. 

By reaching out to help, communities can send the message that they value these individuals and their service. Connecting with fellow Veterans to spread the word about valuable mental health and suicide prevention resources makes Veteran wellness a community priority. Veterans, family members, and care providers can initiate a free and confidential conversation with an experienced and caring VA responder by calling the Veterans Crisis Line. If you are concerned about the safety and well-being of a Veteran, Dial 988, then Press 1. Chat online at VeteransCrisisLine.net/Chat to get support anonymously. A text message can also be sent to 838255 to connect to a VA responder. These resources can be used even if a Veteran is not registered with VA or enrolled in VA health care.

Suicide Prevention is everyone's responsibility! 

****No donations are accepted for this event. Our goal is simply to raise awareness and create a community to reach out to Veterans at risk for suicide.***

More Information

Please note, we want this event to be safe and fun for everyone involved. Depending on the Community COVID Levels at the time of the event, we may have to limit participation to individuals who have received their COVID vaccines or test negative within 3 days of the event. We also may have to cancel the event last minute. Hopefully, this won't happen, as we are looking forward to seeing everyone! We will update this page regarding the status of the event as needed. 

If you are a community organization, or provider, and are interested in having an informational table at this event, please contact the Hershel "Woody" Williams Suicide Prevention Team staff directly. 

     Torie Evans        Victoria.Evans2@VA.gov

     Molly Russell     Molly.Russell@VA.gov 

     Mollie Lackey    Mollie.Lackey@VA.gov

Sponsors