Wantagh, NY - October 11th, 2013 - Nassau County Executive Edward P. Mangano, in partnership with the Nassau County Veterans Service Agency and members of the non-profit organization Brick 26 Board, have organized the 2nd Annual County Executive Brick 26 Challenge to test athletic ability and support local veterans. The event will take place on Saturday, October 19th at Cedar Creek Park in Wantagh.
County Executive Mangano stated, “With many of our heroes returning home and a growing number of local veterans in need of financial, emotional and physical assistance events such as the Brick 26 Challenge can be of great assistance. I want to thank all of the supporters and sponsors who have gotten behind this idea and given of their time and talents to help and make this event a success. Their generosity will go a long way in helping our local heroes who have given up so much to protect our freedom.”
Last year’s Brick 26 Challenge took place at Eisenhower Park with over 500 participants who helped to raise over twenty thousand dollars for local veterans. Funds collected were donated to Semper4Veterans, a locally based non-profit organization and to Honor Flight, which flew WWII veterans to Washington to visit the monuments.
This year, the Brick 26 Challenge consists of a 4 mile course with up to 10 obstacles, including wall climbs, barrel rolling, barrier hops and tunnel crawls where sergeants and military veterans will be operating the boot camp obstacles throughout the challenge. The event will appeal to all levels of athletes, from the walker to the ultra-athlete.
Funds are raised through registration as well as participants who are urged to reach out through their social networking platforms, co-workers and others for support. One hundred percent of the funds raised this year, will be donated to non-profit veteran groups including Semper4Soldiers and Boots on the Ground NY, who operates a Veteran Activity Center, designed to meet the needs of our return soldiers with PTSD. Ninety five percent of the proceeds will remain on Long Island while five percent is earmarked for a national veteran organization.
The Brick 26 Challenge is sponsored by True Honor Clothing, Crossfit 516, Home Depot, TBBC (Long Island Total Body Boot Camp), East Coast MMA Fight Shop and Pepsi, whose products include Gatorade, Aquafina, and Gatorade Energy Bars. It coincides with a Salute to Veterans on the evening of the event. For more information or to register please visit the following website: www. Brick26.org. In addition, for general information, email info@brick26.org. For volunteer questions, email volunteer@brick26.org.
Pictured left to right are: Billy Hofacker, Representative of Brick 26 and the creator and owner of Total Body Fitness Boot Camp on Long Island; UFC Fighter Ryan LaFlare; and County Executive Mangano.