Active Heroes will present the Carry The Fallen Ruck March event in Greenfield to help reduce veteran suicide with teams of military families and citizen supporters.
In a press release expanding on details reported earlier by The Times-Gazette, the organization said that on Saturday, May 5, teams of hikers from all over the state will hike four miles. This event will honor the military service members who have died from suicide by carrying weight on the backs of the hikers. The event’s main purpose is to bring military families together to build camaraderie in order to save future lives.
The ruck march event will step off from the Greenfield Eagles 1325, 1275 N. Washington St., Greenfield at 10 a.m. Participants will march towards and then pass through the Greenfield Cemetery, pausing for a moment of silence at the memorial at the main entrance. They will then proceed to the Greenfield City Hall war memorial for another moment of silence and group photos.
The ruck will continue to the Old Burying Grounds at the intersection of Jefferson Street and Front Street. The marchers will then return to the Greenfield Eagles Aerie 1325, passing Edward Lee McClain High School along the route. The event will finish approximately by 2 p.m., followed by an afternoon cookout for those who participate.
A newly released 2014 VA study shows that 20 veterans take their own lives each and every day. This number is down from 22 a day because of non-profits like Active Heroes that provide national healing activities including the Carry The Fallen Ruck March. While veterans represent less than 8 percent of the national population, veterans represent almost 25 percent of the national suicide rate.
“Active Heroes has already saved over 800 veterans from committing suicide but the work continues because one veteran suicide is one too many,” a spokesperson said in a press release.
Active Heroes is a national 501(c)(3) charitable organization headquartered in Louisville, Ky., with a mission to reduce veteran suicide in every state. Active Heroes provides national activities, national peer mentors, serves thousands of veterans at the Active Heroes community Center and is developing a retreat center to help heal post-traumatic stress. Learn more at ActiveHeroes.org.
For additional information, please contact Active Heroes at [email protected], or 502-277-9280, or visit www.activeheroes.org.
