Trot w/ Troops

PRESS RELEASE - FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Operation Patriot charity event to run, walk in NYC, Buffalo Operation Patriot Foundation will expand its annual “Trot w/ Troops” fundraising 5K walk/run in 2012 with events in Rochester and, for the first time, in New York City and Buffalo. "Trot w/ Troops" will once again be held in Rochester on May 27th on the Downtown River Walk directly behind Time Warner Cable at 71 Mt. Hope Avenue. The Buffalo "Trot" will be held on May 26th at the Buffalo and Erie County Naval and Military Park. "Trot w/Troops" will also be held in New York City June 3rd on Roosevelt Island. Registration for all three events is 9 a.m. the day of the event. A link to online registration can be found at www.TrotWithTroops.org. The expansion of this annual Operation Patriot Foundation fundraiser puts "Trot w/Troops" in the three largest cities in the New York State. "Trot w/ Troops" is a 5K battalion-style event that features active and veteran U.S. Military Personnel falling in formation and calling out cadence. This is the only event of its kind in the country. A brief 15-minute ceremony will begin at 10 A.M. and will feature the singing of the National Anthem by American Idol contestant Cherie Tucker (Rochester), Broadway singer and songwriter Amy Rivard (NYC) and City Councilwoman Bonnie Russell (Buffalo). New recruits from the U.S. Army will be sworn in at the Rochester event. Operation Patriot has chosen the Vietnam Veterans of America Chapter 20s “Mentors of the Veterans Court Program” as the beneficiary of the Rochester "Trot w/ Troops." The Peter J. Reibel Buffalo Veterans Court Mentor Program is the beneficiary of the Buffalo "Trot w/ Troops," and the IAVA (Iraq Afghanistan Veterans of America) will be the beneficiary of the "Trot w/ Troops" in New York City. Funds raised from "Trot w/ Troops" also support the brave men and women of the U.S. military returning from combat who suffer from PTSD and other health issues. Proceeds from the event also help combat veterans with legal issues. Members of the public are encouraged to gather pledges for their participation. The participant delivering the top pledge of more than $100 from all three "Trot w/ Troops" events will win and iPad. Once the top pledge has been identified, the person who has turned in the next largest pledge at each "Trot w/ Troops" site will receive an iPod. Former military personnel dressed in PT uniforms, BDUs or any official U.S. Military uniform who may wish to participate in the event are not required to pay the registration fee. They are eligible to win top pledge prizes. Operation Patriot Foundation, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization registered with the IRS and the State of New York.

When: Sat, May 26, 12:00 am – 12:00 am. Through May 26, 2012.

Where: Buffalo and Erie County Naval and Military Park (Buffalo)

Cost: $10–20

Upcoming Occurrences: