Allen County-Scottsville Veterans 5K to raise awareness of veteran suicide

SCOTTSVILLE, Ky. – An upcoming 5K is raising awareness for veterans that may still be fighting a battle at home.

The Allen County-Scottsville Veterans 5K – Run, Walk and Roll will take place Saturday, May 31 in association with the Veterans of Foreign Wars and The J.M. Smucker Co.

According to organizers, this “isn’t just a race – it’s a chance to honor the veterans in our lives and raise awareness for something that truly matters: their mental health.”

To help support this cause, the race sign up fee is $25. The race will start at 8:30 a.m. at Dugas Community Park.

If you don’t feel like running, that’s perfectly okay – just showing up, walking or cheering from the sidelines helps support this cause.

On Friday, May 30, participants can also help by learning VA S.A.V.E. Training from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at 934 Old Glasgow Road in Scottsville.

Organizers say this training is a free workshop that teaches way to recognize when a veteran may be in crisis. The acronym S.A.V.E. stands for “signs, ask, validate, encourage and expedite.”

To sign up for the 5K or learn more, click here.

Full Schedule for May 31

• 6 a.m.: Event setup begins.
• 6:30 a.m.: Volunteer briefing.
• 7 a.m.: Registration and check-in open.
• 8 a.m.: Opening remarks and veteran recognition, including a moment of silence and the national anthem.
• 8:15 a.m.: Pre-race warm-up.
• 8:30 a.m.: Race begins.
• 9:15 a.m.: First finisher arrive predicted.
• 9:30 a.m.: Post-race celebration, including music, food trucks and a photo area.
• 10 a.m.: Awards and recognition ceremony.
• 10:30 a.m.: Event end and cleanup begins.