The top prize for winning the annual Wells Veterans Day 5K, both male and female, is two round-trip tickets to Boston on the Amtrak Downeaster. More poignant is the transportation veterans receive because of all that running.

Since its inception in 2014, the event has helped raise funds that allow Maine veterans to visit their war memorials in Washington, D.C. This year’s race is scheduled for 10 a.m. Saturday, Nov. 9.

The 11th annual Wells Veterans Day 5K is scheduled for Nov. 9. The event benefits Honor Flight Maine. For more information, visit www.runsignup.com/Race/ME/Wells/VD5k. Contributed

The race was started 11 years ago by the Wells Chamber of Commerce and Director Eleanor Vadenais. The event begins and ends at the Wells Elks Club on Bald Hill Road.

“We were looking to do another event … and we had two board members that are runners and suggested a 5K,” Vadenais said about its origins. “We selected Veterans Day; we believed that people would rally behind the cause.”

And they have.

The average turnout is about 100 to 150 runners and walkers, “depending on the race-day weather,” Vadenais said. About 15 to 20 volunteers lend their time and talents on race day. With numerous road races dotting the calendar, especially 5Ks, participation remains consistent in Wells for a shoulder-season event.

After the inaugural running in 2014, organizers aligned with Honor Flight Maine, selecting a beneficiary that is close to home.

“After seeing a clip on Channel 6 about Honor Flight Maine and of one of the returning trips at the Portland Jetport, we decided on Honor Flight Maine,” Vadenais said.

Last year’s men’s champion was Abraham Medrano, age 15, of Wells, who ran the course in 18 minutes, 42 seconds. The women’s winner in 2023 was N. Schmidt, of Portland, in 20:21. A total of 133 completed the 3.16-mile course on a 28-degree morning.

Proceeds from Saturday’s race will help send veterans to Washington, D.C. A couple weeks later in November, a local television station will air its annual Honor Flight Maine fundraiser, garner much attention and collect much-needed funds.

“We’re aware of the telethon,” Vadenais said. “While our donations are just a drop in the bucket compared to what the telethon collects, we believe it is important to promote Honor Flight Maine locally to raise awareness for this wonderful program. We’ve had local families who’ve had a loved one make the trip and they’ve contacted us to thank us for supporting the program as it has made a huge impact on their family member.”

Honor flight veterans say hello to the friends and family who attended a welcome home event at Portland International Jetport in April 2023. The 11th annual Wells Veterans Day 5K is scheduled for Nov. 9. The event benefits Honor Flight Maine. Brianna Soukup / Portland Press Herald

According to Honor Flight Maine, the average cost of sending a veteran to Washington, D.C., is about $1,000. Average yearly donations from the Wells Veterans Day 5K help with the cost of sending one to two veterans. Honor Flight Maine reports that there are more than 450 Maine veterans on the waiting list for the trip.

“We would not be able to continue this event without the support of the runners, who obviously enjoy the race as we have quite a few that have been doing it for many years in a row,” Vadenais said. “The ongoing support of the Wells Elks Club, in particular, Tony Hafford, who stepped to the plate from the beginning; our sponsors who don’t think twice about renewing their commitment to this event year after year and the volunteers that assist us at the event.”

For more information or to donate to Honor Flight Maine, visit www.honorflightmaine.org.

Vets Day 5K recent champions

2023: Abraham Medrano, Wells, 18:42, N. Schmidt, Portland, 20:21

2022: Matt Homich, Portland, 16:58, Catie Keenan, York, 20:59

2021: Thomas Harvey, Westbrook, 17:33; Katherine Canny, Binghamton, New York, 24:23

2020: Virtual

2019: Gavin Perro, Sanford, 18:57; Nikki Smith, Shapleigh, 21:14

Course records

Men: Nathan Huppe, Dover, New Hampshire, 16:44 (2015)

Women: Liz Turner, Minneapolis, 19:05 (2016)