The sound of sirens, bagpipes, applause and the flag rippling in the wind welcomed the Wounded Warrior runners as they came into Comox 19 Wing on Feb. 26.
Though that wasn't the only sound, the runners brought their own motivational music 鈥� classic rock 鈥� to the party as well. They were at the end of a leg stretching from Campbell River to the Comox Valley, and truly had a heroic welcome as they came onto the flight line.
The leg marked the half way point on the trip, which started on Feb. 23 in Port Hardy. The runners are scheduled to run 800 km in eight days across the Island, ending in Victoria on Sunday.
The BC Wounded Warrior Run was started 12 years ago by Comox Air Force member Dan Bodden. He started the event after seeing too many service members dying by suicide, and he wanted to do something about it. That first year, he was joined by a handful of other runners and did the first Wounded Warrior run. Now 12 years on, the tradition is still going strong.
"We need to talk about it," Bodden said to the crowd, referring to whatever trauma they may be facing in their lives. "We need to talk about it," he reiterated.
The goal for 2025 is to raise $250,000. So far, the team has achieved about 47 per cent of that, putting that goal well within reach by the end of the week.
The team will be departing from the Cumberland Legion Branch at 6 a.m. on Feb. 27, and heading to Port Alberni. From there they will run from Parksville to Nanaimo, then to Shawnigan Lake, and finally from Mill Bay to Victoria.
For more information and to donate, visit .
