Wounded Warriors 5K has DMACC ties

DMACC will help sponsor the first ever “In My Boots” 5K Run, Walk, Ruck. The run will be held at Boone’s McHose Park on Saturday April 19 at 9 a.m.

The idea was brought up in a faculty meeting after Sean Taylor, a DMACC sociology and psychology professor, came up with the early stages of the idea for the “In My Boots” event when he spoke to DMACC Athletic Director Orv Salmon. When trying to figure what type of foundation they should help, Taylor never hesitated in choosing the one that helped him: the Wounded Warriors Project.

Salmon was a driving force for the sponsorship of this race. “What really got me intrigued in this event was the fact that Sean Taylor was formerly in the National Guard, so with his service it inspired me to help,” Salmon said.

Taylor, 47, who was in the Iowa National Guard and served a tour in 2010 in Afghanistan, said the Wounded Warrior Project helped him in his time of need when he had to be medically evacuated from Afghanistan when he found that he had a blood clot.

“I personally won’t be running in the race, because I will be helping with the race itself, but I’ve prepared myself by running a 5k every day since Wednesday April 9 I’ve even run it twice some days. Taylor added “I’ve been open to helping people wanting to learn the route to get them prepared for the race, coming this Saturday.”

The goal for the “In My Boots” 5k run was to get 100 total registrations. They’ve had over 250 registered already. “That is beyond expectations,” Taylor said.

The race will begin at 9 a.m. at the entrance of McHose Park. The event will be held no matter the weather, unless it is severe enough to postpone. Registration was $25 before April 7, and from then on it is $30. The registration fee for a four-person ruck team, which can only be military personnel or veterans, is $80.

The ruck-march event will consist of veterans and active military personnel can enter four-man teams. Each member of the certain team will bring along a backpack or rucksack weighing at least 30 pounds.

The race committee is asking for the bags to consist of 30 pounds of nonperishable food items and large and extra-large sizes in men’s clothing. The items that are contained in the bag will be donated to the Iowa Department of Veterans Affairs in Des Moines via the Homeless Veteran Outreach program it will provide Veterans in need with these supplies.

“After the race is complete, the first four-man ruck team that crosses the finish line as a group will be awarded a trophy, and a certificate will be given to the first, second, and third place finishers in their selected categories,” said Julie Roosa, a race committee member and professor of journalism at the DMACC Boone Campus.

“Also, after the race there will be water and fruit available for all entrants,” Roosa said.

Much of the surrounding DMACC communities have come together to provide for this cause. “I am overwhelmed with generosity from companies, neighbors, local businesses, the Boone community, and the DMACC students. It’s almost too much to take in,” Taylor said.

Donations from the Boone community include 32 bags of food and 12 bags of clothes not counting the donations that have been given to participate in the “In My Boots” 5k run. Ronn Newby, associate professor of psychology, has helped with raising awareness of the race to the DMACC Ankeny Campus. The Ankeny campus has donated in a week’s time over $400 and a few bags of nonperishable foods and men’s clothes.

People don’t have to participate in the race to donate to the Wounded Warrior Project. You can find the information to donate here: http://www.woundedwarriorproject.org/give-back.aspx.

Parking and shuttle services are available for entrants, which will be located at the Boone Campus, located at 1125 Hancock Dr.

For more information about this event you can contact, Julie Roosa at (515) 433-5215 or by email jkroosa@dmacc.edu, Orv Salmon at (515) 433-5050 or by email ojsalmon@dmacc.edu or Sean Taylor at (515) 433-5211 or by email astaylor@dmacc.edu.

 

 

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