Annual Patriot Run to benefit Fort Bragg Survivor Outreach Services

Runners take off at the 2009 Wounded Warrior. This year?s run will also begin at the Brook Valley Country Club. Photo by Kip Sloan, courtesy of 2010 Patriot Run.

GREENVILLE  — The East Carolina University’s Army ROTC Pirate Battalion will hold its third annual Patriot Run Nov. 20, benefiting Fort Bragg’s Survivor Outreach Services for the first time.

N.C.-based restaurant chain Golden Corral has signed on to become the run’s title sponsor this year, said Lt. Col. Eric Buller of ECU Army ROTC.

The third annual Golden Corral Patriot Run will begin at the Brook Valley Country Club clubhouse at 8:30 a.m. Walk-up registration will be at the clubhouse as well. The 5-mile race course winds through the Brook Valley neighborhood. A 1-mile fun run for kids is also planned.

In addition to adding a title sponsor this year, the Patriot Run has changed its beneficiary from program supporting wounded warriors to Fort Bragg’s Survivor Outreach Services. During the past two Patriot Runs, more than $10,000 has been raised for the Fort Bragg Wounded Warrior Battalion.

Fort Bragg’s Survivor Outreach Services (SOS) advocates on behalf of the spouses and children of service members killed in action in Iraq and Afghanistan and provides resources including support groups, newsletter, information briefs and social events.

“We made the decision to change the recipient of our fundraising for two reasons,” said Buller. “It was previously a wounded warrior run, and there are several fundraising groups for wounded warriors. And last year, we had several spouses and children of soldiers come to the run. Many of them ran in honor of or in memory of soldiers.”

He said as ECU Army ROTC staff members talked with the family members, they learned more about how important Fort Bragg’s Survivor Outreach Services program is to that community. “After talking to these family members, we were inspired,” Buller said. “The Survivor Outreach Services does a lot to help these families. So we decided to change our race’s beneficiary over to the organization that supports them directly.”

All funds raised at Patriot Run will go to the SOS, Buller said.

“We’re hoping to reach 300 runners this year,” Buller said. “We had 230 last year, and that was an increase from 100 runners at the first race.”

Registration fees are $15 for students (a donation from ECU’s Student Government Association helps make up the difference), $20 for advanced registration, and $25 on race day. T-shirts will be available for the first 300 registrants. Also, participants can make a donation to run in honor of someone and that soldier’s name will be posted on the Patriot Run’s website.

Sponsors for the Patriot Run include Brook Valley Country Club, Grady White Boats, Physicians East, VFW Post 7032, Rob’s Hydraulics, Columbo Kitchen Attorneys, and Trade Wilco.

The Patriot Run also plans to have a booth with information on SOS at the Nov. 6 football game against Navy, which has been designated as Military Appreciation Day.