Atlanta, GA,
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May
2017
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16:51 PM
America/New_York

Shepherd’s Men to Run Eight Half-Marathons to Honor Veterans Leading up to Memorial Day

Team sets $2.2 Million goal for TBI and PTSD research and treatment.

Shepherd’s Men, a 17-member team of active and former servicemen and civilian patriots will lead their fourth annual run in eight cities from May 22 through Memorial Day. The group is running to raise awareness for treatment options and suicide prevention for veterans with Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) and PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder).

Shepherd’s Men will run a half marathon (22 km) for eight consecutive days, wearing 22-pound flak jackets, symbolizing the deaths by suicide of U.S. veterans every day.

Runners are raising funds to support the Shepherd Center’s SHARE Military Initiative (SHARE), a nationally acclaimed program that has transformed lives for more than 300 veterans and families at no charge to veterans.

SHARE Military Initiative at Shepherd Center is a comprehensive rehabilitation program that focuses on assessment and treatment for service men and women who have sustained a mild to moderate traumatic brain injury, along with co-occurring PTSD or other mental health concerns (such as depression or anxiety), from service in post-9/11 conflicts. SHARE Military Initiative provides assistance, support, and education to service members and their families during their recovery treatment and beyond.

This year’s run begins at the Flight 93 National Memorial in Shanksville, Pennsylvania, honoring the courageous civilians who gave their lives on 9/11. In tribute to these heroes the team will wear 93 pounds for the first run. 

Itinerary:

  • May 22 – Shanksville, Pennsylvania
  • May 23 – Washington, DC
  • May 24 – Lynchburg, Virginia
  • May 25 – Raleigh, North Carolina
  • May 26 – Asheville, North Carolina
  • May 27 – Nashville, Tennessee
  • May 28 – Athens, Georgia
  • May 29 – Atlanta, Georgia – running into Shepherd Center

“We run to share the burden our veterans carry every day as a result of their time in combat,” said Travis Ellis, Shepherd’s Men co-founder and 2017 Citizen Heroes Award recipient. “It is our duty and privilege as Americans to fight for our heroes and their service to our country.”

Corporate Support

For the third year, HD Supply (NASDAQ:HDS) is the title sponsor for Shepherd’s Men. Company Chairman and CEO, Joe DeAngelo, is an honorary team member, running each day remotely while also wearing the 22-pound flak vest.

“We are honored to support the Shepherd’s Men and their steadfast commitment to help our veterans re-acclimate successfully to civilian life,” said DeAngelo. “As one HD Supply Family, we proudly fight for our servicemen and women who selflessly fought for the freedoms we enjoy every day.”

More than 1,000 HD Supply associates and board of director members have committed to pushing their physical limits and completing a challenging physical activity during this year’s run.

Shepherd’s Men has raised $1.4 million for SHARE since its inception in 2014. Please visit www.shepherdsmen.com for more information and to donate.

About Shepherd’s Men
For the fourth year, Shepherd’s Men will run to raise awareness about the SHARE Military Initiative at Shepherd Center and to raise funds. Private funding is needed to make SHARE’s life-saving program available to veterans of the Iraq and Afghanistan wars who suffer from traumatic brain injury and post-traumatic stress. The 2017 goal is $2.2 million, to facilitate program expansion; donations can be made via Shepherdsmen.com. The 2017 runners are active, medically retired and honorably discharged servicemen and civilian patriots who are committed to helping those who have sacrificed so much for this country and all who enjoy the freedoms they volunteered to protect.

WJLA-TV: Shepherd's Men Supports Vets with PTSD, Injuriesopens in new window
Shepherd's Men continues its eight-day run to raise money for Shepherd Center's SHARE Military Initiative. On Tuesday, May 23, they were in Washington, D.C.
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2017
wjla.com
About Shepherd Center

Shepherd Center provides world-class clinical care, research, and family support for people experiencing the most complex conditions, including spinal cord and brain injuries, multi-trauma, traumatic amputations, stroke, multiple sclerosis, and pain. An elite center recognized as both Spinal Cord Injury and Traumatic Brain Injury Model Systems, Shepherd Center is ranked by U.S. News as one of the nation’s top hospitals for rehabilitation. Shepherd Center treats thousands of patients annually with unmatched expertise and unwavering compassion to help them begin again.