Connor Swanton, a junior at Conard High School, is organizing a fundraiser for the Wounded Warrior Project with the assistance of several of his classmates.

Connor Swanton (right) and Julie McKenna, both juniors at Conard High School, visit Fleet Feet Sports in West Hartford to ask for a donation for the Inaugural Freedom Run. Submitted photo

Submitted

On July 5, 2015, the West Hartford Freedom Run, started by several juniors from Conard High School, will kick off its inaugural year.

The idea for the fundraiser came from Connor Swanton, whose two uncles both served in Afghanistan and Iraq. After watching a commercial for the Wounded Warrior Project Connor wanted to give back to those who sacrificed their lives to protect this nation.

Connor brought together several of his classmates to help him in this endeavor. The members of the West Hartford Freedom Run team are Nate Richam, Tyler Carson, Zach Boehm, Brian McCauley, Zacharie Mega, and Julie McKenna.

The 5K Run/Walk will begin at 10 a.m. from the parking lot of Town Hall and will also finish at Town Hall. All money raised will go directly to the Wounded Warrior Project.

The West Hartford Freedom Run is looking for runners, volunteers, and donations. For more information, please visit our website www.westhartfordfreedomrun.com.

Early registration is $30, and will be available through June 1. After that, the price will increase to $40. Each runner will receive a t-shirt, and same-day registration will be available.

The Wounded Warrior Project (WWP) is a charity and veterans service organization that offers a variety of programs, service and events for wounded veterans of the military actions following the events of September 11, 2001. It operates as a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization.

WWP’s vision is to “foster the most successful, well-adjusted generation of wounded service members in our nation’s history” as it works to raise awareness and enlist the public’s aid for the needs of severely injured servicemembers, help severely injured service members aid and assist each other and provide unique, direct programs and services to meet their needs.“

According to information available about the Wounded Warrior Project, as of August 1, 2013, WWP serves 35,648 registered alumni and 4,181 registered members, defined as family or caregivers of a registered alumni. In 2012, WWP spent $114,817,090 on programs in support of wounded veterans, their families and their caregivers, while contributing “nearly $5 million in grants to other charities, including the American Red Cross and Resounding Joy, a music therapy group in California, and also provided about $880,000 to nearly 100 veterans in the form of college scholarships and stipends for its year-long TRACK Program, which helps veterans transition to college and the workplace.”

WWP has also provided funding to, and partnered with, Operation Homefront to “extend emergency financial assistance to military servicemembers and veterans who incurred a physical or mental injury, illness or wound, which was not due to their own misconduct, coincident to their military service on or after September 11, 2001 and their families