Ruck for the Fallen hosts fundraiser for park, firefighter

PULLMAN — The Ruck for the Fallen group is hosting a three part event for heroes this weekend on Sunday, Nov. 17.

The three part event will feature a ruck of 11 miles, 11 feet and 11 inches starting at 8:30 a.m. in Johnson to raise awareness for the Pullman Cemeteries New Veterans Memorial Park Site.

There will be a sandbag ruck the last mile for first responders, military and law enforcement and a meet and greet with Ruck for the Fallen founder Sergeant Major Mitch Kriebel at Zeppoz.

“I’m so excited and hopeful to raise dollars for our heroes,” said Event Coordinator Marletta Sisak.

Sisak said the organization does a Veteran Ruck to raise awareness for the Whitman County Veteran Memorial Park in Pullman, but this year they added a second part after finding out from an earlier Ruck for Firefighter Joel Whitman, who is battling cancer, that there is another firefighter in the area who is also fighting the disease.

“Usually we do the Christmas Miracle for Veterans,” Sisak said, noting with Sergeant Kriebel home they have the opportunity to get money to help the other firefighter battling cancer.

The last mile firefighters, first responders and military rucking with a sandbag can raise funds that go directly to their heroes.

“The first team to top out gets an additional dollar amount for their hero,” said Sisak.

Sisak said the meet and greet will give the community the opportunity to meet Founder of Ruck for the Fallen Sergeant Major Mitch Kriebel who is still in the military and will be home from a deployment in South America before heading to his next duty station in Fort Knox Kentucky.

“This is an amazing opportunity for people to get out and ruck or to come to the meet and greet and be able to see him,” Sisak said.

The meet and greet at 1 p.m. at Zeppoz in Pullman will feature a buffet, auction and merchandise.

“We would invite people to come out and cheer the ruckers on, cheer the people doing the sandbag carry, the public to come and enjoy meeting the ruckers and Sergeant Major Kriebel,” Sisak said.

Sisak said the community is always welcome to come and get involved with helping heroes by visiting the foundation’s new facebook page Ruck for the Fallen (R4TF).