Alaska Veterans get their steps in at the VA 2K

Jeff Welch, the Health & Wellness Coach for the Alaska VA system (part of the Whole Health department), explained the purpose of the event and who it was intended to serve. 

“The purpose of the walk is to get people up and moving. The Whole Health theme for May is based off of movement and being active. Get folks away from their desks. Get folks to be involved. This is for the employees, but it’s also for the Veterans as well to help increase their movement. And just make folks aware of the value of actual exercise. At the same time, it’s also meant to build camaraderie and have fun,” 

 said Welch. This year’s event has a special reward in store for the winners. “We’ve sorted the walkers into groups based on the size of their departments. So, we’ve got three categories: small, medium, and large groups. The winner of each group size will be receiving an ice cream social, provided by Whole Health and the VA leadership,” said Welch. This year featured a special event after the walk: a fishing simulator. “We’ve got a fishing simulator in the atrium. So, when folks come out to walk, we’ll encourage them to check out the fishing simulator. That in and of itself is a workout between what you use in arm strength as you try to pull in that fish, as well as your back. It’s a good workout. You’ll feel it afterwards,” said Welch. 

The first person to cross the finish line was Rory O’Hanrahan from the Social and Behavioral Health Services Department. He sees value in setting an example with exercise. “Fantastic! It was nice to be out with coworkers and step away from our desks. It also was nice to see coworkers you don’t normally see because we are all stuck in our offices. We like to lead these groups because we think that leading by example is one of the most important things. We found that in Mental Health you can tell people what to do, but if you actually get out there and do it, people are more willing to participate,” said O’Hanrahan. As other walkers crossed the finish line, they expressed their exuberance for the event. Mary Jean “MJ” Roberts, Health Promotion and Disease Prevention Program Manager, said this is her third time. 

“Fun! It’s always fun. You feel recharged and rejuvenated. The VA 2K is really good for us. I sent a message to my friends to come out and walk!”

said MJ. Sinnamon Bovey in the Care Giver Support Program participated, and this was her third time. She enjoys the fresh air and going with her colleagues. “It’s the chance to get outside and get some exercise and some camaraderie with my coworkers, and it’s for a good cause. We didn’t see any wildlife last year, but I did hear there was a bear sighting today, so it could be adventurous. We could be doing this in record time. Getting out of there!” said Bovey. This was the second year for Ryan Pickett, a Primary Care ICT (Intermediate Care Technician), and he considers it a wonderful stress relief. “It gets me out of the office. Gets your blood pumping a bit. Relieves some stress. Just enjoy some of the Alaska weather that sometimes we miss out on during the workday,” said Pickett. Kong Vang has been working for the Alaska VA for approximately four months in the travel section, and this was his first walk-a-thon. “Just time out. Just a little fresh air before I go back and sit in the office and work again,” said Vang. 

The fishing simulator consists of a large display screen, a fishing pole, and a machine that controls the line resistance depending on the type of fish selected. As walkers crossed the finish line, many of them went over to give the fishing simulator a try. The responses after participating in the simulator were universally positive, and many expressed surprise at how physically demanding it was. “That was fun! I think I burned a lot of calories there. All the excitement was there. I’m going to tell my husband I did it. I caught a trout. I had good exercise at the VA 2K. We did our 2K already, and we’re going to for one more round. I’m so warmed up now, so I’m just going to get going. So for me it’s a 4K, and then I’m going to cool down,” said MJ. “That was exciting! It’s going to get me ready for fishing season, but it was a little harder than I expected. It was a Bonito, a saltwater fish. But the fish didn’t want to get caught. It was a struggle, but it was fun. The fishing simulator is definitely a good workout. We’re going to take it to some Outreach events. The Veterans really like it, and the kids do, too,” said Annie Carabello, an RN in Primary Care. 

“I loved the fishing simulator. I just wish I could eat the trout after I caught it. That simulator is awesome. It put up a great fight, but I’m just a better fisherman. I’ve gone fishing before. All the time. I love it,”

 said Jada Alexander, an Advanced Medical Support Assistant. “It was hard work! I have more respect now when people say they’re going fishing. Arms tired. Glasses are falling off, and they were fogging up, too. And now my arms are a little sore. It was fun; we should do more fun breaks,” said Elizabeth Brown, an Advanced Nurse Practitioner in Primary Care. “Pretty cool. Of course, I had to pick a pike. I should’ve picked a little easier one to start. It wore my arm out! And I’ve fished all my life. I fish and hunt,” said Jan Swinbourne, a Veteran who served in the Marine Corps from 1971-74 and is now a volunteer at the VA Clinic. The 2026 VA 2K has come to an end, and the participants got in a complete workout…both legs and upper body. Now some lucky winners are looking forward to their ice cream social.