Early on a recent Sunday morning a group of veterans gathered at St. Cloud’s Lakefront Park to get some exercise and get out the message to help prevent veteran suicide, hosted by Team BLUFOR.
Team BLUFOR (501(c)(19)) is a non-profit organization operated solely by Veterans and direct family members and with a dedicated focus on serving Veterans and their direct family members.
“BLUFOR is a military term used during military exercises to designate the home team U.S. forces. At Team BLUFOR, our mission is to empower Disabled Veterans on their journey towards healing through engaging in adaptive sports challenges. Our motto is ‘Crushing Limitations,’” said Army veteran Andres Rosario, founder and president of Team BLUFOR, based in St. Cloud.
Ileana Torres, Director of Functional Training for BLUFOR, organized the setup of 10 fitness stations in the grass near the beach, including dumbbells, weight plates, jump ropes, step boxes and yoga mats. A speaker for music was also readied, and the veterans assembled were briefed on how to conduct their workout. Torres then met with some individuals to discuss exercise modifications and answer questions.
A small “Team BLUFOR” snipe sign attracted several people also exercising in the park to stop and inquire about the organization and take some of the literature displayed on the large Bluetooth speaker box.
After a short warm-up to the beat of low-volume music, participants were completing timed exercise sets and then switching stations. Four rounds with short rest intervals between had everyone breathing hard by the end of the session, and after a short cool down, stretch, and debrief, the vets left to get on with the rest of their Sunday.
Rosario, along volunteers including Vice President for Operations Amy Van Riper and Ileana Torres, works with veterans with various levels of disability along with the able-bodied to set fitness goals and enjoy some camaraderie. BLUFOR veterans have completed obstacle course-based Spartan Races, long-distance running events, and triathlons. Other BLUFOR fitness activities, such as bicycling, take place at the St. Cloud lakefront monthly.
BLUFOR’s next major event, a “Red, White and Blue Trifecta” celebrating its second “birthday” is planned for Sept. 6 at the Twin Oaks Conservation Area, with a 3K run/walk, a 3K obstacle course and a 13-zone weightlifting Dekatria.
Participants must register and pay an entry fee, and sponsorships are available. Participants will receive a t-shirt, and awards will be presented for each event. For more information on Team BLUFOR and the upcoming Trifecta, see https://bit.ly/44enCrY.
