Fun Day in Yoctangee Park Saturday Celebrates Veterans
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This Saturday, Chillicothe’s Yoctangee Park will be host to the 2nd annual First Capital Ruck 22 Fall Food & Music Fest.
The event’s objective is to provide a fun, entertaining day for veterans and their families, but also to raise awareness to address the continuing rate of suicide among the nation’s Veterans.
According to the Veterans Affairs 2023 National Veteran Suicide Prevention Annual Report, the rate of suicide steadily increased between 2001-2021 compared the non-Veteran U.S. population. The report states the unadjusted suicide rate for Veterans was 23.3 per 100,000 in 2001 and 33.9 per 100,000 in 2021. For non-Veteran U.S. adults, the suicide rate was 12.6 per 100,000 and 16.7 per 100,000.
If there’s one suicide, it’s too many.
That’s where support groups like First Capital Ruck 22 are stepping in. The 22 stands for the estimated number of Veteran Suicides daily. In a Litter Media interview last spring Ruck 22’s Loren McGuire explained the organization was founded to bring awareness and promote prevention “to start seeing decreases in that number.”
McGuire said he’s seen change happening for Veterans in some of the events the organization has held. “We had an event at the (Chillicothe) VA, it was a Veterans retreat weekend and there was a gentleman who hadn’t really been out in public for about 10 years… when he came to the event, he completely opened up. Once you get a group of Veterans together, it’s a different dynamic than it is with the public because we all can speak the same language or know some of the same things.” A few months later, McGuire said that same Veteran showed up at the 2023 Fall Food & Music Fest in Yoctangee Park. “It not only impacted his life, but ours as well.”
Ruck 22’s Nick Booher said the man not only brought his family with him, but there was a marked improvement in his outlook. “Next thing ya know, he’s up there huggin’ us all and everything and he said ‘I’m doin’ well. I hadn’t been out, but now that I’ve got out and goin’, it’s made a lot of difference’. – “One’s too many” said Booher “and if we can help one, then we’re doin’ our job.”
“In basic training you begin to develop friendships, trust and loyalty within the group you work with” said McGuire who added that he keeps in touch with his Battle Buddy from when they served together in the U.S. Army in 1986. “It’s a significant impact on your life and it does bring people together in a way most that people won’t understand.”
As for Saturday’s event in the park, McGuire says attendees can expect a variety of things to do in addition to the free entertainment. “We’ll have food trucks, vendors, magicians, balloon art, face painting and we’ll have live music all day.”
Booher added a 22k Run will also take place, which is roughly 13.5 miles. Soldiers normally run 22 miles with their rucksacks.
To learn more about the event and First Capital Ruck 22, visit their Facebook Page. First Capital Ruck 22 is a 501c3 non-profit organization.
