11-06-24 Interview - Brandy Maranian - Run For Veterans This Weekend

RUN FOR VETERANS THIS WEEKEND The Colorado Veterans Project does a great job with the Colorado Veterans Project's annual Denver Veterans Day Run, Parade & Festival on Saturday, Nov. 9. Our own Ben Allbright will be emceeing the parade but you can still sign up and show up for this race by clicking here. Brandy Maranian, CVP Board President joins me today at 12:30 for a quick chat about it.

Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
First of all, Brandy, Happy snowy Wednesday to you.

Speaker 2 (00:03):
Thanks Nandy, thanks for having me on as well.

Speaker 3 (00:05):
So what is this is like the big weekend?

Speaker 1 (00:07):
This is like the prom for the Colorado Veterans Project.

Speaker 3 (00:10):
What is happening this weekend?

Speaker 2 (00:11):
That's so true. This is our signature event.

Speaker 4 (00:14):
So this Saturday at City Park we are hosting, along
with our title sponsor this year, Horse Brewing Company, and
the City of Denver, the Veterans Day Parade, festival and run.

Speaker 3 (00:29):
So when does everything kick off?

Speaker 1 (00:31):
Let's just go in order, like, what's happening when?

Speaker 4 (00:33):
Absolutely so, we're going to start off with the run.
We're actually kicking off that. There's a ten k ripto
rock March and we'll start that around ten thirty I'm sorry,
around eight thirty, and then shortly after that we'll do
the five k in the ten k and then around
ten thirty that's when the parade will start. The festival
opens up at nine thirty, and we've got some new

(00:54):
things this year which we're really excited about. Horse Brewing
Company is hosting a your Garden, so that'll be the
first time I think we've done that, So it'll be
a lot of fun. We're giving away a roof to
a veteran, eligible veteran, active.

Speaker 2 (01:10):
Duty or gold Star member.

Speaker 3 (01:13):
Right, so.

Speaker 4 (01:15):
Folks can go online at Denver Veteranstay dot com and
and search there to see how they can qualify for that.

Speaker 2 (01:22):
So that'll be fun.

Speaker 4 (01:24):
We are also u the second year Canvas Credit Union
is providing free food for families and of veterans at
the event.

Speaker 2 (01:34):
So yeah, we've got a lot of fun things going
on this year.

Speaker 1 (01:37):
Our own Ben alright from Broncos Country tonight is going
to be and seeing the parade.

Speaker 3 (01:41):
That's really cool.

Speaker 2 (01:42):
He's going to do a great job to have him.

Speaker 3 (01:44):
So, yes, he is, he is.

Speaker 1 (01:47):
And and it looks like you're going to have a
little bit of weather on Saturday morning anyway, And as
I said to Brandy off the air, you tell people
you want to know what it's like to be a soldier,
go run in the snow, That's what That's what it means.
Because they don't get to take the day off when
the weather's bad. So can people still Yeah, can people
still sign up?

Speaker 3 (02:07):
That's the question.

Speaker 2 (02:08):
Absolutely? Absolutely, they can come on race day actually to
sign up for the run.

Speaker 3 (02:13):
Oh great, Like I said, you can go to.

Speaker 4 (02:16):
Denver Veteransday dot com. Sign up for the run. We've
got a lot of this available. We're gonna, you know,
based on the weather. We're gonna come up with a
couple of contingencies on how to set it up. But
right now our plan is rain or shine, and we're
just helping for some shine.

Speaker 1 (02:33):
I want to ask you about the ten k Ripto
Rucksack Challenge.

Speaker 3 (02:37):
Who is that name for?

Speaker 2 (02:39):
Oh, actually, that's a good question.

Speaker 3 (02:41):
Well I know it, and it's right in front of me.

Speaker 1 (02:43):
Army Captain Russell b Ripto, twenty seven of our Vada
Colorado assigned to Company A Company, third Battalion, seventy fifth
Ranger Regiment in Fort Benning, Georgia. He was killed in
action on April third, two thousand and three while serving
in a rock And I only say that because let's
remember what this is all about, right. It's not about
going running in the snow. It is about honoring the

(03:04):
people many a majority, I think, that signed up to
serve voluntarily, and also those veterans who were drafted into
service and served honorably in Vietnam. And so this day
is all about our veterans and saying thank you and
we have so many veterans in this area that I
hope they all come out and enjoy a little love
on Saturday. What is the fee to get into the race, Brandy?

Speaker 4 (03:27):
The run is endingwhere from forty five dollars to sixty
five dollars between the five k and the rock March,
So that's the fee.

Speaker 2 (03:36):
The event is free, Okay.

Speaker 4 (03:38):
So the parade and festival if you just want to
come down and enjoy the festival and to regorate your point.
This really is to honor our veteran community in the
state of Colorado.

Speaker 2 (03:52):
Our nonprofit focuses on that.

Speaker 4 (03:54):
Our mission is Colorado Veterans Project is to help veterans
transition from military, their military career into their next opportunity.

Speaker 2 (04:03):
So we provide a lot of scholarships and training around that.

Speaker 4 (04:06):
So you know, come out help celebrate veterans and on
this Saturday.

Speaker 1 (04:13):
I do want to say transitioning out of the military
seems like it should be a no big deal, but
it is very, very challenging. The going from a highly structured,
highly accountable system into the world which is not highly
accountable and highly structured can be very challenging. And when
we talk about Veterans' suicide. One of the things that

(04:34):
could I think make a dent in that is making
sure you have that smooth transition. That's one way to
make it better and easier. So I love what you
guys do, Brandy, and I hope you have a massive turnout,
absolutely massive turnout on Saturday.

Speaker 2 (04:47):
Thank you so much, Mandy.

Speaker 3 (04:49):
All right, that's Brandy Morinian.

Speaker 1 (04:51):
With the Colorado Veterans Project. To put a link on
the blog to the Colorado Veterans Project so you can
go there or just go to Denver Veterans Day dot
com for more. Brandy, thanks so much, Thank you so much, Bandy,
thanks for having me.

Speaker 3 (05:05):
All right, that's Brandy Morianian