September 1, 2022 – 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 Second Annual Operation Obstacle: The Race to End Veteran Suicide.
This timed, two-mile obstacle course will be held on Richland’s campus on Saturday, September 24, 2022, beginning at 10:00 a.m. at the Workforce Development Institute.
There are multiple ways to get access and get registered for the event: Say “Operation Obstacle 2022” on your smartphone and open the link, or go online by clicking this link. There is also an option to donate or support a runner as well. 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.
“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 an 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.
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 medals, goodie bags and snacks/water will be available for all finishers. Also, trophies will be awarded to the top 3 male & female finishers.
There will be a brief opening Veterans honorary ceremony with the presentation of the flag, national anthem and remarks from the Suicide Prevention Team. Proceeds will support Richland Community College’s Student Veteran’s Resource Center to help student Veterans and Servicemembers overcome financial obstacles to education.
