The 11th Annual EOD Memorial Challenge is scheduled to take place on April 30, 2016. The event will begin at 8:00 a.m., with day of registration and check-in beginning at 6:30 a.m. The event will start at the EOD Memorial, located on Range Road in Niceville, Fla., and finish at Schooners Restaurant and Marina in Niceville. The race will include three challenges for participants, with awards being given for the top overall male and female, and the top three males and females from each of three age groups. All funds raised from the event will go to support the EOD Warrior Foundation’s mission of helping EOD warriors and their families.
“The memorial challenge is a great event that has been growing each year,” explains Nicole Motsek, executive director of the EOD Warrior Foundation. “It is a challenging course that puts your abilities to the test, but it’s for a great cause and it’s a lot of fun too.”
The race can be completed as part of a team or individually. There is a six-person team minimum for the race, and everyone must finish together. The first leg of the race includes a 4.25 mile ruck (30 pounds for men, 15 pounds for women), followed by a half-mile swim (fins and flotation devices permitted), and finishing up with a 3.25 mile run. Packet pick-up for the event will take place on April 29, 2016, at Helen Back Again on Hwy 20 in Niceville, from 4:30 p.m. to 9:00 p.m., and includes a pizza dinner for participants.
“We work to offer a variety of events throughout the year to ensure there is something that appeals to everyone,” added Motsek. “Our events give people an opportunity to get involved, have some fun, and support EOD warriors and their family. It’s a great way to give back. Putting together and training with a team is often half the fun!”
The ruck race involves each of the team members taking their turn to carry the weight through their leg of the race. To learn more or register for the 11th Annual EOD Memorial Challenge, log onto the website: http://www.eodwarriorfoundation.org/events.
The EOD Warrior Foundation is a nonprofit organization that helps military EOD personnel and their families. There are around 7,000 EOD (Explosive Ordnance Disposal) technicians in the Army, Navy, Marine Corps and Air Force, performing the most dangerous job in the military as they disarm explosive devices on the battlefields and at home. Many EOD personnel come home with debilitating injuries, including lost limbs, blindness, paralysis, traumatic brain injuries (TBI), burns, and the invisible wounds of war, such as post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
About EOD Warrior Foundation
The EOD Warrior Foundation is a nonprofit organization whose mission is to help EOD warriors and their family members to include families of fallen EOD warriors. Specific programs include emergency financial relief, college scholarships, hope and wellness retreats and care of the EOD Memorial located at Eglin AFB, Fla. To learn more about the EOD Warrior Foundation, or see their fundraising events calendar, visit their site at: www.eodwarriorfoundation.org.
