Veterans, VA Employees Promote Health, Support Homeless Charities
Veterans and Veterans Administration employees came together for fun and exercise in the 13th annual National VA2K Walk & Roll at the Wadsworth theater on the VA Greater Los Angeles Health Care System campus, on May 17 at approximately 11:30 a.m.
The event was designed to promote an active healthy lifestyle as well as collect new, unused socks, underwear, jackets or t-shirts for women Veterans.
The event was a free two-kilometer walk presented by the Employee Whole Health Program, though people were encouraged to donate.
The committee members felt the event was important for improving Veteran and employee health.
The purpose was to engage in some form of wellness during the workday, said Teneka Hosang, employee health physician assistant and VA2K planning committee member, VAGLAHS.
The Veteran attendees had various reasons for showing up for the event.
“I just started formal competition. I signed up for the (para)Olympics, I think I’m competitive in my weight class,” said George W. Fleischman, Veteran and campus resident. “I signed up for seven (track and field) events at the national level.”
Another Veteran was using the event to promote a recent behavior change.
“It’s my first two-K (kilometer) after not smoking,” said Gerald Kleiv, Veteran. “I’m going to do more events to help me not smoke.
The event also attracted the participation of other Veteran Service Organizations.
Whenever there’s an event to support veterans, the organization makes sure to be there, said Sharon Moore, co-captain, color guard, Jackie Robinson Auxiliary Post 252.
The recommendation for what to collect came from the VA Center for Development and Civic Engagement.
The committee surveyed the CDCE and other VSOs, and women’s clothing items were the major deficit, said Hosang.
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