5K run to remember 9/11 events, veterans
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The Military and Veterans Success Center, the University Recreation Center and ROTC at UTRGV are collaborating for a 5K race to commemorate 9/11 on Sept. 9-11 on the Brownsville, Harlingen and Edinburg campuses.
Elda Arriaga, director of the Military and Veterans Success Center, said they are promoting patriotism and to come together and remember the tragic events of 9/11 and those impacted by the attacks.
This event is not only open for the UTRGV community but for all local communities, Arriaga said.
She said this event has been hosted on both campuses, Brownsville and Edinburg, but “we’ve seen an influx of interest for our Harlingen campus.”
This year’s event will now be hosted on all campuses in the hope for more students and community involvement.
“It’s completely free,” Arriaga said. “An event that will help us continue tradition and continue demonstrating patriotism to those who served and those who’ve lost their families or were impacted due to the tragic events of 9/11.”
She said people should take some time to reflect on why they are participating and what it means to them.
“We start at the flagpole for a reason,” she said. “Take a moment to reflect, either before, during and after the run.”
Last year firefighters, mayors and other officials participated, Arriaga said.
Edgar Vasquez, a veteran of the U.S. Air Force and program coordinator at the Military and Veterans Success Center, said it feels amazing that UTRGV is acknowledging veterans in a ceremony like this, and believes it is important for the country.
Vasquez said his family had been part of the military since before 9/11 occurred.
“Seeing my cousins leave, they were the first ones to be deployed,” he said.
Seeing his cousins being sent to fight terrorism, Vasquez said he knew that “from an early age that I was gonna serve.”
“We really appreciate the attention to our specific community,” he said.
Randall Treviño Jr., a political science sophomore, said he feels proud of being the son of a veteran who fought for our country.
“Things like these, events that should never have happened in the first place,” he said. “It’s good to remember and look back on these, you know, to better the country more than anything.”
Rami Touhami, a mechanical engineering senior, said he had heard about the 5K run and that it won’t be the first time he runs for a cause.
“It’s like you won’t, like, forget about the victims or the events that happened after … remember, like, the victims and, like, people who died in 9/11 and the attacks,” Touhami said.
He said he will participate in this run because he believes “we should … memorialize 9/11 survivors and remember the victims.”
The commemorative 5K check-in starts at 6 a.m. Monday in Brownsville, at the same time Tuesday in Harlingen and at the same time Wednesday Edinburg.
All three events will begin at the flagpole on each campus.
To participate, register at utrgv.edu/veterans.
Arriaga said the first 50 people who sign up before Sept. 9 “are guaranteed a shirt for the run.”
“We don’t turn anyone around, whether they registered online or they come that day and wanna participate,” Arriaga said.
To pick up the information packet, visit the University Recreation Center on the Brownsville campus between 1 and 6 p.m. Wednesday through Friday, the Harlingen Clinical Education Building between noon and 4 p.m. Friday, and the University Recreation Center in Edinburg between 1 and 6 p.m. Wednesday through Friday.
