Decatur, IL – By tackling a timed, two-mile obstacle course race on September 23rd, you will directly support local veterans through Richland Community College’s Student Veterans’ Resource Center.
In observance of Veterans Suicide Prevention Month in September, the U.S. Department of Veteran’s Affairs Suicide Prevention Team and Richland Community College present the Third Annual Operation Obstacle: The Race to End Veteran Suicide. The race will be held on Richland’s campus beginning at 10 a.m. at the Workforce Development Institute.
The event is open to the public along with Richland students and employees taking part in the race and participating as volunteers. Fun physical obstacles, finishers challenge medals, goodie bags and snacks/water will be available for all finishers. Event t-shirts are available in the registration process, and trophies will be awarded to the top 3 male & female finishers. This year, Operation Obstacle is even adding a non-competitive fun run for participants who would like to jog, walk, or skip some obstacles. Learn more about the race at richland.edu/operationobstacle
Proceeds will support Richland Community College’s Student Veteran’s Resource Center to provide free resources and services to veterans – helping them overcome financial obstacles to education. The Richland Veteran’s Student Resource Center was opened in 2019 and serves as a comfortable space for Veteran students to study, relax, communicate, and collaborate.
Registration will be open until 9:30 a.m. on race day. For more information to register, volunteer, donate or sponsor a runner or an obstacle:
- Say “Operation Obstacle 2023” on your smart phone.
- Search “Operation Obstacle” on Facebook or click this link.
“VA Illiana’s Suicide Prevention Team’s collaboration with the Richland Community College Fitness Center brings community awareness to the 17 Veterans that die each day by suicide and gives opportunity for our Suicide Prevention Team to make connections with the community, Service Members, Veterans, and their families. The VA can’t do it alone. We need our community partners like Richland Community College to help us care for our Veterans and to intervene when someone is in distress,” according to Hannah Jordan, Licensed Clinical Social Worker and a Suicide Prevention Case Manager for VA Illiana.