Memorial Day events in Buckhead to honor veterans, military – MDJOnline.com

Next weekend local residents will have at least two ways to celebrate Memorial Day and honor military personnel and veterans.

First, the fifth annual Salute to Our Troops 5K will take place May 27 at 8 a.m. at Chastain Park in Buckhead, with registration starting at 7 a.m. The race is organized by the nonprofit Charity Benevolent Fund. Proceeds from the event will go toward providing financial assistance to local soldiers, veterans and their families.

The fees for race participants are $30 in advance or $35 on race day, with discounts for veterans. Participants wanting to avoid registration lines on race day can pick up their registration packets May 26 between 2 and 7 p.m. at the Big Peach Running Co.s Brookhaven location, 705 Town Blvd., Suite 340. Race-day check-in is at the parks tennis courts.

Second, the Shepherd's Men Run, a fundraiser for the SHARE (Shaping Hope And Recovery Excellence) Military Initiative at the Shepherd Center in Buckhead, will take place May 29 at noon from the King Center on Auburn Avenue in Atlanta and end at Shepherd on Peachtree Road. The center is a nationally renowned hospital for patients with head and spinal cord injuries and disorders.

It is the final May event for Shepherds Men, a 17-member team of active and former servicemen and civilian patriots that is leading their fourth annual run in eight cities May 22 through Memorial Day. The group is running to raise awareness for treatment options and suicide prevention for veterans with traumatic brain injury and post-traumatic stress disorder. It is also raising money through individual donations and corporate sponsorships.

Shepherds Men will run a half-marathon (13 miles) 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 SHARE, a nationally acclaimed program that has transformed lives for more than 300 veterans and families at no charge to veterans.

It 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 provides assistance, support, and education to service members and their families during their recovery treatment and beyond.

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

We run to share the bur-den our veterans carry every day as a result of their time in combat, Travis Ellis, the Shepherds Men co-founder and 2017 Citizen Heroes Award recipient, said in a news release. It is our duty and privilege as Americans to fight for our heroes and their service to our country.

We are honored to sup-port the Shepherds Men and their steadfast commitment to help our veterans re-acclimate successfully to civilian life, Joe DeAngelo, chairman and CEO of event sponsor HD Supply, said in a news release. As one HD Supply Family, we proudly fight for our servicemen and women who selflessly fought for the freedoms we enjoy every day.

Shepherds Men has raised $1.4 million for SHARE since its inception in 2014.

For more information, visit http://www.mycbf.org or http://bit.ly/2qt7C2P (Salute to Our Troops 5K) or http://www.shepherdsmen.com (Shepherds Men Run).

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Memorial Day events in Buckhead to honor veterans, military - MDJOnline.com