Hero Harvest 5k Put the Fun in Fundraising

In early 2024, our treasurer, Kayleen West, along with her husband Darin, participated in their first 5k. They have been working on their health, and she didn’t think she’d be able to complete it. After they finished the race, and it sparked a desire to do a 5k for Operation Veteran and Caregiver Support. She wanted to make it a race that would be enjoyable for experienced runners and novices alike. She began planning, and after meeting with the City of Piqua and Can’t Stop Running, October 5th was picked as the date. After months of planning, we were rewarded with a beautiful Saturday morning at the brand new Lock 9 park in downtown Piqua.

After briefly explaining who we are and playing the national anthem, the race was on! The race trail followed the Great Miami River Recreational Trail south, with runners crossing over the recently completed Atomic City Bridge, before doubling back to return to Lock 9. We had 31 runners in total, aged 12-75! After the race, runners and their families enjoyed fresh breakfast burritos from Crooked Handle, healthy snacks provided by Main Street Financial – Thrivent, and donuts from Dobo’s Delights Bake Shop. We were pleased to have the reigning 2025 National Mrs. Captivating, Rachel Castle, on hand to pass out awards. She has been a large part of our events this year, from our Flourish Ladies Luncheon to winning Queen of the Car Show at our PiquaFest Pin Up contest.

All of our runners had a great time, and we couldn’t have held such a successful event without the help of our sponsors and partners. We want to take a moment to thank those sponsors, whose support made it possible!

Freedom Home Care for Veterans is located in Batavia, OH. They are dedicated to empowering Veterans through compassionate home care services. Our team is committed to providing the highest standard of care, ensuring that each Veteran we serve can live a dignified and independent life in the comfort of their own home. They tailor their services to meet the unique needs of each Veteran, reflecting a deep commitment to their well-being. For more information on their services, you can visit them at www.freedomcare.vet.

Thrivent – Main Street Financial Group is an organization located in Tipp City, OH. They are driven by your goals and values. They’ll draw on their industry expertise to help you map out a path to a more secure financial future. They provide personalized financial guidance to people at all stages of life. At Thrivent, money is viewed not as a goal, but as a tool — one that can afford you a life rich in meaning and gratitude. They believe humanity thrives when individuals make the most of all they’ve been given, and they’re here to help you do just that. Matt, Kayla, and the whole team at Thrivent have been partners with Operation Veteran and Caregiver Support for several years, beginning with supporting our holiday meal assistance baskets, setting up action teams to help fill our food pantry shelves, and fundraising during the Tipp City Mum Festival. We are so grateful for their continued partnership! You can learn more about Main Street Financial and all the ways that they can help you live a fuller and richer life by visiting them at https://connect.thrivent.com/main-street-financial-group.

Max Living Full Life Chiropractic in Troy, OH is more than an office who just helps people feel healthy. Through high-quality chiropractic and corrective care, combined with the 5 Essentials™, they’re here to empower patients with both knowledge and healing. With them, you can trust that your health is in expert hands. Dr. Juan Fernandez has served in the Army National Guard as an officer for over 15 years. During this time, he completed Airborne and Ranger training and served on multiple combat deployments. To see more of what they offer and to take advantage of how they can change your quality of life, visit them at www.maxliving.com.

We would like to thank Miami County Veteran’s Services for sponsoring our signage and AB Cole American Legion Post 80 in Covington, OH for their support of this event. We also need to send a big thank you to the City of Piqua and the many businesses in Downtown Piqua that came together to make this event happen. (For more information on the city, you can visit their site by clicking here)

• Can’t Stop Timing Co (Timing services)
  • Can’t Stop Running Co. is owned and operated by Ryan & Amanda King.  Ryan and Amanda have been part of the Piqua community all of their lives.  The decision to get into the running business was an easy one since running has been a serious part of their lives for several years. 
• Crooked Handle Brewing Co (breakfast burritos)
  • The Crooked Handle Brewing Company founders were introduced to brewing craft beer in 2008.  Weekends were spent together in a small garage on a horse farm crafting beers using nothing more than a couple of igloo coolers, a small kettle, and a propane turkey fryer. They opened their 2nd brewpub featuring a warehouse-style taproom, a chef-inspired kitchen, and an outdoor Biergarten overlooking Piqua’s Lock 9 Park in 2022.
• Dobo’s Delights Bake Shop (donuts)
  • For more than 20 years, Dobo’s has provided quality baked goods to the people of Piqua, Miami County and surrounding areas, and through online orders all over the United States. They resolve to preserve the traditions of the independent “hometown” bakery by committing to using quality products, providing a pleasant environment to their customers, and taking the time to put in the extra effort to provide great customer service.
• Eagle Printing (signs and banners)
  • Eagle Printing is committed to providing excellent printing at excellent pricing. They provide full service printing from design to delivery.

We are pleased to announce that we have already selected a date for our 2025 Hero Harvest 5k. On October 4, 2025 we will once again be racing our way down the Great Miami River Recreational Trail, starting and ending at Lock 9 park. we hope to see you there! For more information on our other upcoming events, check out our Upcoming Events page.