Team RWB helps keep Bolivar riverfront clean
Team RWB Akron/Canton has adopted a section of the Towpath Trail near Fort Laurens and works to keep it clean. Pictured are Warren Brown, left, Sueanne Brown, Todd Henry, Elsa Cave, Trey Parker, Hope Sears, Lisa Keane and Bailey Keane.
About 2 miles along the banks of the Tuscarawas River in Bolivar are looking much better, thanks to the clean-up efforts of the Akron/Canton chapter of Team Red, White and Blue.
The veterans support group has adopted a mile of the Towpath Trail near Fort Laurens, and about every three months, they show up to clear the area of litter and debris. This month they noticed the River Community Park area was looking unkempt, so they stopped to tidy it up as well.
Josh Keane is captain of the Akron/Canton chapter, which covers a geographic area from just north of Akron all the way to Zanesville and has around 1,100 members. The national organization is headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia. According to Keane, the mission of Team RWB is to enrich the lives of veterans through community service and physical and social activity.
The group’s community-service efforts range from volunteering at local food banks and community events to performing trash pickup. But Keane said their primary activity is running races.
“All of the races we run in give money to charities, so it’s a win-win,” Keane said.
Each year the chapter hosts a national event called the Eagle Up Ultra. The race takes place in Canal Fulton at the St. Helena Heritage Park. “It’s a 5-mile loop, and participants have 24 hours to run as many loops as they can,” Keane said. “It is an absolute blast.”
Keane said members run everything from 5k races to ultramarathons, but rucking also is becoming quite popular. Rucking is basically walking while carrying a weighted backpack. The term rucking comes from the word rucksack, which is military slang for a backpack.
“A lot of veterans have physical problems that prevent them from running or bicycling,” Keane said.
Some rucking events can get pretty extreme, making participants navigate obstacle courses and pick up heavy objects like logs along the way.
“Rucking is just as good a cardiovascular workout as running, but it’s easier on the joints,” Keane said.
On the social side, members of Team RWB Akron/Canton participate in yoga, bike and brew events, Taco Tuesdays, bowling, and other activities. Canoe-a-Palooza, which was canceled this year, is a canoeing event on the Tuscarawas River.
“Last year we had upward of 70 people floating down the river and going to dinner afterward,” Keane said.
Keane and his wife Lisa became members of Team RWB Cleveland about five years ago. The couple had taken up running to improve their health and had attended the Cleveland St. Patrick’s Day Run, where they spotted a runner carrying an American flag and wearing a Team RWB T-shirt. Intrigued, they made their way to the Team RWB canopy to learn more.
The Cleveland chapter became so large it divided about three years ago to form the Akron/Canton chapter.
How to get involved
Keane said the group is always looking for new members and local partnering organizations. “We welcome companies, universities and other organizations that want to partner with us either locally or nationally to enrich the lives of veterans and help us achieve our goals,” he said.
Corporate sponsors do everything from providing bottled water and races to funding chapters or specific events. National sponsors include Nike, Starbucks and Google.
“A lot of companies have their own veterans’ groups and want us to engage with them to either do a 5k or promote health within the organization,” Keane said.
Companies wishing to donate money to Team RWB locally should go through the national organization to do so.
As for individual involvement, membership is free and open to both veterans and civilians. “Our chapter is about 60% veterans and 40% civilians,” Keane said.
On its website the national organization says it gives veterans the opportunity to reclaim what was most precious about their military service: an unwavering sense of belonging. Members have credited Team RWB with giving them a sense of camaraderie and saved many from the depths of depression and PTSD.
People wishing to join can do so at www.teamrwb.org. There, they will be directed to the local chapter, a calendar of events and Keane’s contact information. There also is a phone app members can download.