Nick Stogdill | The Salem (Missouri) News Online | April 22, 2025
A lunch gala celebrating the Honoring Our Heroes Marathon of 2024, along with distribution of proceeds raised and recognition of outstanding volunteers, was held April 16 at the Salem Community Center @ the Armory. The gala was emceed by HEROES board member David Weiss, with a delicious lunch provided by the Missouri Veterans Home St. James Assistant League. The Honoring Our Heroes Marathon is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization — every member is a volunteer, and it was established to promote tourism to Salem and Dent County, and — most importantly — to honor and benefit veterans in the area.
The annual HEROES marathon features full and half marathon courses that are qualifying courses for the Boston Marathon. In 2024, organizers added a ruck division across all distances, in both light (20lb) and heavy (40lb) categories.
Weiss began the gala thanking attendees, sponsors, and volunteers for coming, along with City of Salem representatives Sally Burbridge, John Whelan, and Catherine Dent. He celebrated and applauded HEROES board members, along with founder Bob Gravely, who is registered to walk in the 10k for the upcoming Nov. 15 marathon at 88 years young.
“We had three goals when we started out the organization here,” explained Weiss to the crowd. “One, to boost tourism; two, to promote health; and third, most importantly, to honor and benefit veterans. In the past 10 years, we’ve achieved all three goals.”
The marathon has not only helped people achieve their fitness goals and boosted tourism, with a total of 574 people from 42 states and territories participating in the 2024 marathon — it has, including the $34,000 in funds earned from the race in 2024 and distributed at the gala, officially surpassed the $200,000 mark in total donations distributed to local veteran organizations.
Several special commemorations are in the works to celebrate the milestone to help make the race bigger and better than ever, said Weiss. A ruck division, in both heavy and light categories, will be once again offered, along with the ghost runner brigade where individuals may honor deceased veterans. The board is busy lining up sponsors and volunteers, and they are signing up more participants than ever for the 10th running HEROES, said Weiss. Board members are working to ensure there is a participant from each and every one of all 50 states.
At the gala, donations were distributed to veteran organizations, including:
- Dent County Veterans Emergency Fund, used for assisting veterans in crisis, such as with utility bills or mortgage payments
- American Volunteers, a group who work to better the lives of individual veterans and families, such as with wheelchair ramp construction
- VFW Poppy Fund, used by local veterans in need of assistance with utility bills, transportation, etc.
- Missouri Veterans Home St. James Auxiliary League, the donation will be used to help meet the needs of veterans in the home
- Disabled American Veterans (DAV) Chapter 49, a group which provides transportation for Pulaski County residents to get to their doctor’s appointments in Columbia at the Veteran’s Medical Center, as well as other services for veterans
- Association of the United States Army (AUSA) Warrior In Need Fund—soldiers in crisis can access the fund through their superior officer and get immediate help
- Army Emergency Relief (AER), assistance for soldiers if they should ever find themselves in financial need
- Mission 22, an organization that specializes in healing the veteran mind, body, and spirit to help prevent veteran suicide
A video from Mission 22 was featured at the gala to help highlight the work the organization does, as the organization is headquartered in Sisters, Oregon and representatives were unable to make it. With the continued support of HEROES, Mission 22 is able to put veterans through its programs to ensure they get the support they need, including gym memberships, one-on-one coaching sessions, or getting with post-traumatic growth facilitators or health coaches.
Additionally, Honoring Our HEROES made a contribution toward the Veteran’s Park in Rolla, which recently experienced severe damages as a result of the Phelps County tornado. The Veteran’s Park was built solely with volunteer donations and labor, and the 10k circles around the park every year.
Along the course, there are 19 water stations offering support and encouragement to participants. There are signs listing various conflicts that soldiers have fought in for their country, with inspirational signs to boost runners along the course, and a few funny ones to lift runner’s spirits on the steeper terrain between Salem and Rolla.
