Barney’s Run for Warriors adds marathon course

ALBANY — The 5th annual Barney’s Run for Warriors, set for Nov. 18 aboard Marine Corps Logistics Base-Albany, will include a certified marathon course for the first time this year, organizers say.

The race, organized by St. Paul’s Episcopal Church, raises funding to provide former military service members who have sustained brain injuries or who are having difficulty dealing with stress disorders from their service with companion dogs that are trained to help alleviate the stress and improve daily life functions for the veterans.

This is the fifth year of the race, which had matched a veteran with a dog each of the first three, but saw enough success last year to acquire two dogs for veterans. That, Barney’s Run for Warriors Co-Chair Lois Hunkele said, is the goal organizers have again for this year’s event.

That means the event will need to generate at least $32,000 through the participating runners and sponsorships. The dogs are from K9s for Warriors, an organization based at Ponte Vedra, Fla.

“They’re a training facility and they train dogs specifically for post-9/11 veterans who have PTSD or traumatic brain injuries,” Hunkele, an Albany veterinarian, said. “The dogs are expensive; they cost $16,000 (each).”

While the dog is given to the veteran at no cost, funds have to be raised for K9s for Warriors to operate the facility and train the dogs.

“They also have to train the veteran who receives the dog for three weeks,” Hunkele said. “With all of that, they don’t charge the veterans anything. All of their revenue is really based on donations. That’s what this race is all about.”

The local organization also tries to ensure the dogs it sponsors are matched with veterans in the region.

“We want the dogs to go as locally to this region of Georgia as we can,” Hunkele said. “There’s a lot of need right here in our community and in South Georgia.”

The 5K and 10K race courses have been certified, and an non-certified half-marathon was added in 2016. This year, both the half-marathon route and a new full marathon course have been certified, which, Hunkele said, she hopes will make the event attractive to a wider pool of runners.

“Both have been certified,” she said. “What that means is the U.S. Track & Field Association has come down and measured the course.

“Competitive runners trying to qualify for the Boston Marathon or the Peachtree Road Race (in Atlanta) and other bigger races can use this race to qualify.”

She said that may increase the run’s appeal and, in turn, the number of participants.

“We’ve had around 150 running (each year),” Hunkele said. “We’re hoping to build that up even more this year because we have the marathon.”

Having the race aboard MCLB-Albany has two advantages, in addition to the military installation reminding participants and sponsors of the underlying good cause for the event.

“The whole thing takes place on the base,” Hunkele said. “All four courses are on the base. The wonderful things about that are, one, it’s safe and secure, and, two, it’s low traffic.”

While the runners help generate funds for the event, sponsorships also are important, she said.

Sponsorships “help underwrite the cost of the race and their proceeds go toward the dogs also,” Hunkele said. “Sponsorships are big, too.”

Hunkele said those interested in information on the race or sponsorships can contact her, Mari Wright or Barney’s Run Co-Chair Anna Hendley through St. Paul’s Episcopal Church at (229) 436-0196.

Information can also be found on the Barney’s Run for Warriors Facebook page. “The closer the race gets, the more information will be available (on the Facebook page),” she said. “They can also message us if they have a question.”

File Photo