Post 22 in Florida held its third Be the One River Walk on March 17, raising $6,500 to support The American Legion’s veteran suicide prevention mission. The event drew around 60 participants despite a forecast of rain and has raised more than $16,000 over three years.
The walk is part of a broader effort to raise awareness about veteran suicide and provide resources for those in need. Wes Park, Post 22 Legionnaire and director of American Legion Riders Chapter 22, said he was motivated by personal experience after losing a friend he served with in the U.S. Marine Corps to suicide. “That was a big resonation from the beginning,” Park said. “Unfortunately, like many, I’ve had a lot of friends who (died by suicide), but that was really fresh on my mind when it happened.”
This year’s event included participation from other local posts such as Post 359 and Post 1 in Titusville and expanded to include two AMVETs posts. After the walk, participants received complimentary lunch at Post 22 and were given Be The One t-shirts featuring both event branding and the Veterans Crisis Line information. Park said these shirts serve as an important outreach tool: “We do these shirts and people wear them, and it’s great for visibility,” he said. He added that while veterans may not always directly ask for help, seeing information about available lifelines could encourage someone struggling to seek assistance.
A committee selected Matthew’s Hope of Brevard County as this year’s charity recipient. The nonprofit assists homeless individuals by meeting basic needs and offering mental health services. Park emphasized the importance of building relationships with local organizations: “It’s so helpful to connect our post with something local so we can have a relationship,” he said.
Park also noted plans to track how donations are used: “The hope is to get feedback about where this money goes and how it helps veterans and families,” he said. “That way, we can continue to promote it throughout and do well.”