Push-up Challenge for Veteran Suicide Awareness

This 22 Push-Up Challenge for Veteran Suicide Awareness is the powerful idea initiated by Vernette Smith, the surviving spouse of MSGt Todd R. Smith, a combat Veteran who served more than 20 years in the United States Air Force. After several deployments and a full career serving in the Air Force, MSGt Smith transitioned back into civilian life, but the strains and pains of his deployments were ultimately too much to bare. MSGt Smith lost his life to suicide on September 15, 2018. MSGt Smith served his country with pride and honor. Along with his wife, Vernette, MSGt Smith raised two beautiful children, a daughter and son, whom he loved with all his heart.

In honor of MSGT Todd R. Smith and all those who lost their lives to suicide, will you join me in this challenge and make a REAL difference? I'm getting in on the action to raise awareness for Veteran suicide and money for Welcome Home : A Community for Veterans. Thanks in advance for your contribution to this cause that means so much to me.

HOW IT WORKS: 
It's simple! Post a video on social media of yourself doing 22 pushups, include the special hashtags #22forVeteranSuicideAwareness #ACommunityForVeterans #No1LeftBehind #WhoDoYouPushFor, and tag a few friends to challenge them to join you. If you’re feeling really ambitious, do the challenge for 22 consecutive days. 

Complete the challenge by making a donation to Welcome Home: A Community for Veterans through the GoFundMe campaign or on the Facebook fundraising page. You can make it a friendly competition with your friends and create your own FB fundraising page to get more support from your network of friends and family! 

In the beginning of the video, consider an introduction stating:

* Your name and date.
* WHY are you pushing or WHO are you are pushing for?
* Make sure to tag Welcome Home as the charity you are pushing to help! 
* Add these special hashtags into your “public” post on Facebook/Twitter/Instagram/ or in the video title on YouTube: #22forVeteranSuicideAwareness #ACommunityForVeterans #No1LeftBehind #WhoDoYouPushFor

Things you can do:

* Do the pushups by yourself and share on social media
* Get a group together to do the pushups and team-up to collect donations; Companies, sports teams, schools, etc.
* Be creative; Use unique settings, styles, props, etc. Include whatever or whomever you want.
* Post videos daily/weekly throughout the month of September. 
* Complete the challenge by making a donation to Welcome Home and challenging your friends/family to join you.  

Want to learn more about the partner charity? You can check them out at WelcomeVeterans.org.

Thank you for joining me to honor MSGt Smith, his family, all those who have lost their lives to suicide and those left behind.