A cup of coffee from a cardboard box helped motivate the volunteers assembled on a bright, invigorating morning at the Bicentennial Park for the fifth annual Ruck ‘n’ Walk, a 5-K race through the park at 5351 Park West Lane, Bethlehem Nov. 9.

The event honored veterans and military members. It also raised funds for Battle Born, a local veteran’s service organization.

Dr. Andrea Mosely with the Allentown School District, stamping her feet against the morning chill, was at a table dispensing race commemorative T-shirts to contestants. Kim Cramsey of Penn Community Bank dispelled the chill with her warm smile as she helped hand out the T-shirts.

The event started at 8 a.m. and lasted until about 11 after awards had been handed out.

Some contestants, especially the veterans, wore rucksacks or backpacks on the run. Others, like Iwona Mazerant, a woman from Poland now living in Saylorsburg, Jillian Wright of Allentown and Ben Busmeyrer of Bethlehem, both with Air Products, were dressed for more efficient running in sleek colorful jackets, leggings and running shoes.

All together about 250 runners and walkers signed up to participate in the annual event sponsored by the Veterans & Military Council of The Chamber, an organization of the Greater Lehigh Valley Chamber of Commerce.

The race had three categories of contestants: universities and college teams; employer teams; and veteran supporters or individual entries.

Among the teams represented where St. Michael’s Warriors.

“Saint Michael’s Warriors is an experience-based group created to guide first responders, veterans, active-duty military, and their families through difficult times,” said president and founder David Alercia. “We are committed to assisting those struggling with PTSD, substance abuse, and mental health challenges find and access a pathway to health.”

Team Red, White & Blue of the Lehigh Valley participated and was represented by Liza Donaldson and Russ Best. According to its Facebook page, “Team Red, White & Blue (Team RWB) is a veteran support organization whose mission is to enrich the lives of wounded veterans and their families.”

Another prominent veteran’s organization represented was Veteran’s Brotherhood which had a table promoting the organization. They were represented by Darlene Krowles, Robert Knowles, John Kukitz and Carol Kukitz.

According to the organization’s website, “ … we have helped veterans with back taxes, car payments, rent, food, clothes and car repairs. We have taken over a hundred veterans off the streets, placing them in hotel rooms until they were evaluated and then found proper places for them to live. We have given gift cards to some veteran families that have come up short during holidays or to help with their children.”