Murphy – There is a staggering statistic that 22 veterans or active service military members take their own lives per day in the United States.
The Hump 22 event hosted by Warriors Veteran Outreach of Cherokee County brings awareness to this statistic by walking 22 miles.
This year, the first part of the walk will be led by Lisa Kotchenreuther, mother to Sgt. Christopher Lockett, a local soldier whose death in January 2019 was ruled as a suicide while serving in the U.S. Marine Corps. Kotchenreuther participated in last year’s Hump 22 event as a tribute to her son.
“I went by myself and I showed up that morning determined to do this 22-mile hump,” she said. “I said to myself, ‘I’m Chris Lockett’s mom, and I can walk this.’ ”
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The 22 Hump will begin at 8:30 a.m. Saturday, May 29, at Warriors Veteran Outreach headquarters, 46 Valley River Ave. downtown.
There will be different stops throughout the route where participants can get water and snacks provided by Warriors Veteran Outreach. Anyone who is able and willing to participate is encouraged to join. Participants do not have to walk the entire 22-mile trip and they can walk any portion they would like.
Warriors Veteran Outreach is a nonprofit organization composed of veterans and patriots who are dedicated to assisting and improving the lives of veterans, widows of veterans and children of veterans. The nonprofit organization provides services to veterans including helping with finances, providing needed utilities and providing emotional counseling and training.
“I learned about the organization and joined after my family needed a washing machine while I was deployed to the Middle East,” said Hunter Wood, a member of the Warriors Veteran Outreach.
“My wife was put in contact with the director and it was taken care of before I was even notified overseas. I became a believer in the mission before I had even set foot in the headquarters.”
Everyone is invited to participate, there is no entry fee and T-shirts and food will be available for free after the event. Donations are accepted and all proceeds go toward services that Warriors Veteran Outreach provides to area veterans and patriots.