WILMINGTON — Saint Mark’s High School will hold two events to honor veterans and their families on Veterans Day, which is Nov. 11.
The first is a breakfast for veterans. They and active military members and their families from alumni, student families and the community are welcome to visit Saint Mark’s for a free family-style breakfast. The meal begins at 7:30 a.m. in the gymnasium and will end by 9 a.m. Registration is required and can be completed at the school website. Donations are welcome to support the Cpl. Stephen McGowan Fund.
On the same day, at 10 a.m., the school will host the inaugural Cpl. Stephen M. McGowan 20K Challenge. It will be held on the track at the football stadium. School president Tom Fertal, himself a veteran, will signal the start of the event and participate by carrying a 20-pound pack for 20 kilometers, or 50 laps around the track, for a total of 12.4 miles. Fertal has a goal of raising $20,000 for the Cpl. Stephen McGowan Fund.
All participants in the challenge are asked to raise a minimum of $200 for the fund. There is no fee to register. Teams are expected to have at least one 20-pound pack to share among their members. The event will conclude at 3 p.m. It is a challenge, not a race. Recognition will be given to the top fundraisers. It is open to the public, and food will be available. To register or to support Fertal or other participants, go to runsignup.com/Race/DE/Wilmington/CorporalMcGowanChallenge.
Cpl. McGowan was a 1996 graduate of Saint Mark’s High School who was killed in Iraq in 2005 while serving in the Army. The fund named after him provides financial assistance to children of active-duty military and veterans to attend Saint Mark’s.
For more information, contact Mo Tyree, the school’s director of strategic communication, at mtyree@stmarkshs.net.