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Nine Ohio veterans are taking on the Columbus Marathon as part of the Veteran Recreation Ohio team, using their journey to help raise funds for veteran recreation programs across the state. From healing and mental health to resilience and community, each runner carries a unique story and a shared mission to continue supporting fellow veterans through recreation.

Many veterans and first responders sleep through the night yet still wake feeling exhausted. The problem often is not the number of hours slept, but the brain’s inability to fully power down after years of operating in high alert environments. In this article, Nurse Practitioner Jill Pate explains how chronic hypervigilance affects sleep, hormones, relationships, and overall wellbeing, and why education, connection, and healthy outlets are key to long term healing.

Every day, nearly 22 veterans lose their lives to suicide. But together, we can shift that number. With your monthly or yearly subscription, you become a partner in hope—with each gift fueling recreation-based grants that restore connection, purpose, and well-being for veterans across Ohio.

Hundreds gathered at Nocterra Brewing Audubon on November 6th for a night of fun and community, raising over $8,500 for Veteran Recreation Ohio. Your support helps fund our first veteran grant and future programs—thank you for making it possible!

Becoming a Founding Member of Veteran Recreation Ohio means more than receiving exclusive gear — it means standing with veterans across Ohio as they heal, connect, and rebuild community through outdoor recreation. Your support directly funds programs like fly fishing, hiking, and yoga that restore purpose and joy to those who once served our country.

For many veterans, the return home marks the start of a different battle—one against isolation, anxiety, and loss of purpose. At Veteran Recreation Outdoors, we believe nature offers more than escape; it offers healing. Backed by science and shaped by real stories, our programs create space for connection, purpose, and peace—right here in Central Ohio.

Exciting things are on the way for veterans in Central Ohio. Veteran Recreation Outdoors is laying the foundation for a series of outdoor programs designed to bring healing, connection, and purpose through nature. From fishing and hiking to community events, we’re building something special—right here in Columbus. Stay tuned. Great things are coming.

Lines of Hope is a documentary in the making that celebrates the healing power of nature and craftsmanship through fly fishing. With support from the Greater Columbus Arts Council, the film shares powerful stories of veteran resilience, renewal, and connection—values deeply aligned with the mission of Veteran Recreation Outdoors.