ABOUT THE EVENT
210 flags. 2.10 miles. One mission.
You carried it home. But you don't have to carry it alone.
On July 4th, 2026, Veterans Health + Wellness Alliance invites you to walk, ruck, or stroll at the inaugural VH+WA Freedom Ruck — a 2.10 mile community walk honoring each of the Tennessee's veterans who died by suicide in 2023.
Along the route, 210 flags will mark our path — one for each of them. This isn’t a race. It’s a remembrance. And a declaration that we’re not done fighting.
EVENT DETAILS
⭐️ Suggested Donation: $25 per participant (ages 10 and under free with parent or adult guardian)
📅 July 4th, 2026
⏰ 8:00 AM — Check-in is open. A printed or electronic copy of your confirmation email(s) and photo ID are required at check-in, and each participant will need to sign a liability release form. If the participant is 10 years or younger, a parent or adult guardian must sign the waiver on their behalf. Day-of registrations also welcome.
⏰ 8:30 AM — Opening Flag Ceremony + Walk begins. Distance is 2.10 miles (stroller-friendly, all fitness levels welcome)
📍 Pinkerton Park, 405 Murfreesboro Road, Franklin, TN 37064
❓Need more info? See our FAQs!
WHAT TO EXPECT
We'll open with a brief flag ceremony honoring those we've lost and those still fighting. Then we walk — together.
Wear your ruck if you have one. Walk or stroll if you don't. Bring the kids. Bring the leashed dog. Just show up.
☕ Free coffee courtesy of North Arrow Coffee Cafe — a veteran-owned café right here in Franklin, TN.
🎖️ Commemorative ruck patch included with your $25 donation, while supplies last.
👕 Custom Freedom Ruck t-shirts! If you’d like to order an optional official Freedom Ruck 2026 t-shirt to wear the day of the Ruck, order here. It will be shipped directly to you from the print company, so order early!
❓Need more info? See our FAQs!
WANT TO GO THE DISTANCE?
The official route is 2.10 miles — but if you want to keep walking, keep walking.
Every mile beyond 2.10 is a mile walked toward a future where no flag needs to be planted.
YOUR DONATION AT WORK
Too many of our Veterans come home carrying weight the system wasn't built to help them set down — chronic health issues, trauma, mental health challenges, addiction, and more. VH+WA exists to change that.
We cover the cost of integrative, root-cause healthcare for post-9/11 Veterans in Middle Tennessee — at no cost to the veteran. That means real care: mental wellness counseling, advanced diagnostics, life coaching, dental work, and beyond. No co-pay. No bureaucracy.
Your $25 helps us reach the next one.
ABOUT VH+WA
Veterans Health + Wellness Alliance is a Middle Tennessee nonprofit dedicated to providing integrative, whole-person care for post-9/11 Tennessee Veterans. Our Veterans are warriors in our own community — and they deserve renewed hope and restored wholeness.
❓Need more info about the Freedom Ruck? See our FAQs!