Pictured are participants of a previous year’s Stop 22 Walk in Silver Creek to support U.S. veteran suicide prevention. Submitted photo

SILVER CREEK — Veterans of foreign wars often struggle to readjust to life back home. VFW posts help in providing much needed support and camaraderie for veterans, but Silver Creek’s VFW Post 6472 takes it a few steps further. In fact, it’s more like 22 minutes worth of steps further.

The fifth annual Stop 22 Walkathon has been scheduled for Saturday, Oct. 11. Registration begins at 9 a.m. at the Silver Creek VFW Post 6472, with the walk beginning at 10 a.m. The cost of registration, along with donations made at the event, will benefit suicide prevention efforts for U.S. military veterans.

When the event began five years ago, organizer Deanna Borrello and the Silver Creek VFW designed a route around the village that would take 22 minutes to complete. At the time, an average of 22 veterans each day committed suicide nationwide. The month of October is highlighted by the VFW overseers at the state level as a time to raise awareness for the issue of veteran suicide.

“If you’ve never participated in the Walk 22, I would encourage you to come out and do it,” Village Trustee Sandra Lindstrom said previously. “It’s a nice walk, and you’re in and out of there before you know it.”

The Village and the VFW will coordinate with the Fire Police and Emergency Squad to assist with the event. Deputy Mayor Kathy Tampio said she “would love to” put forth a resolution to approve the event, which received unanimous support from the Village Board.

Borrello also urged the village to evaluate Babcock Avenue for improvements in the near future. Borrello highlighted several potholes on Babcock Avenue as debris removal from the Main Street School is underway. Construction of a senior living facility will soon follow, which would amplify the need for improvements to the street.

Mayor Jeff Hornburg stated that any significant improvements to the road will be evaluated at a later date, but he vowed to discuss patching of the road with the Streets Department in the near future.

Borrello commended Labor Supervisor Brianna Griewisch of the Department of Public Works for her work in recent months. Griewisch was later approved to attend the New York Conference of Mayors Public Works Training School Oct. 6-8 at the Fort William Henry Hotel in Lake George.

The next Mobile Food Pantry event, sponsored by the Silver Creek Food Pantry, the Village of Silver Creek, and Feedmore WNY, will be on Tuesday, Sept. 23, from 11 a.m. until 12:30 p.m., at the village municipal parking lot. The event is free of charge to residents of Silver Creek and other nearby communities. The Village appreciates and welcomes all volunteers.

“My hat goes off to all the volunteers that come down and give up their time,” Hornburg said. “It’s a well worthwhile project.”