Race in North Park to raise funds for veterans' housing, work, wellness

A race is being held in North Park on May 25 to raise money for the Veterans Leadership Program, which helps former Western Pennsylvania military service members with housing, employment, mental wellness and more.

The inaugural Memorial Day Remembrance Run will be held in the parking lot of the North Park Boathouse, 10301 Pearce Mill Road, McCandless.

The event kicks off prior to 9 a.m. with the singing of the national anthem and the North Allegheny Color Guard presenting colors, according to Matthew Imhof, director of race operations for GCXC Race Timing and Management, an Ohio-based company that specializes in the staging of athletic events.

After holding other local veteran-themed races, Imhof said it was important to continue the effort to support those who served, so his company is partnering with the Veteran Leadership Program for this first race.

“We want to help drive traffic and raise awareness to (the organization) and the service of military veterans and their families in western Pennsylvania,” Imhof said.

Race time for the 5 and 10K is 9 a.m., and the 1-mile walk at 9:05. Registration for the 5K and 10K is $35 and $50, respectively, but is discounted to $30 and $40 for active duty or veterans. A 1-mile walk is $25. Prices increase on race day.

Prior to the race, Novacare Rehabilitation of Hampton will lead warmup stretching. There will be 5K and 10K awards for male and female at various age groups, as well as a first overall male and female Veteran.

The Veterans Leadership Program is a veteran-centric human service organization that provides housing, employment, wellness and supportive services to veterans and their family members residing in the Pittsburgh, Altoona, Butler and Erie Veterans Administration Medical Center catchment areas, comprising 30 counties throughout Western and Central Pennsylvania, according to Toshua Jarrett, chief development officer for VLP.

For this event, fundraising and sponsorship dollars go to VLP, exclusive of registration fees. Millie’s Homemade Ice Cream, located adjacent to the boathouse, is opening early for the race, with 20% of sales that day going to the nonprofit, Imhof said.

In 2023, the Veterans Leadership Program provided 7,480 Veterans and their family members with services throughout 30 counties in Western and Central Pennsylvania, according to Jarrett. Offices are located in Pittsburgh and Erie.

A statistic on homelessness from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, as listed on the Salvation Army USA website, cites that veterans make up 8% of the homeless population in the United States, and approximately 40,000 veterans are homeless on any given night.

VLP housing programs range from emergency shelter, bridge housing and rapid rehousing to permanent supportive housing.

The nonprofit provides career development programs to assist veterans who are underemployed or without a job, emergency financial assistance and benefits application assistance,and programs exclusively for women veterans.

VLP also offers support to veterans involved in the criminal justice system, veterans with suicidal ideation, and wellness programs focused on physical and mental health and well-being.

“VLP will utilize the donations to continue our mission of empowering veterans,” Jarrett said. “The need is more than ever and the donations will assist veterans with rental assistance, security deposits, utility assistance, and food assistance.”

The organization serves all veterans regardless of the era they served in, branch of service, discharge status or Veterans Administration eligibility.

“That is why these donations are so critical to our mission,” Jarrett explained.

The race page provides additional donation opportunities, including creating a fundraiser page for race participants. Visit runsignup.com/Race/PA/AllisonPark/MemorialDayRemembranceRun.