Billings held its fourth annual Patriot Run on Sunday, a 5K and 2K event organized by Parks and Recreation’s Sara Heywood. The race, timed with Veterans Day, raised money to support the upkeep of the local veteran cemetery and to offset burial expenses for veterans and their families.
How the funds will be used
Heywood explained that the donations will go toward maintaining the graves so they “look really nice” and to provide a financial cushion for families facing the roughly $2,000 cost of opening, closing and preparing a burial site. “Being able to give back in any way we can, especially at a very tough time in a lot of people’s lives,” she said, emphasizing the gratitude the community feels toward its veterans.
Growing community support
Last year’s race attracted about 86 runners; this year the field approached 100 participants. Heywood hopes the event deepens gratitude for veterans, especially with Veterans Day just around the corner.
Founder’s personal connection
The race was founded in 2020 by veteran Brandon Schmidt, who moved to Billings after a 24‑year Navy career. Schmidt started the run to give back to the veteran community, noting that his own grandfather served in the Navy and his mother in the Coast Guard, both now buried at the cemetery.
Schmidt highlighted the cemetery’s historic roots, with burials dating back to the Civil War, and described it as the original veteran burial ground in the area, even after a national cemetery opened in Laurel.
Veteran voices
Veterans who regularly attend the race shared why the event matters. Army veteran Vince Long, who served as a military police officer at a nuclear missile site in the 1970s, said the race reminds him of the sacrifices made by service members. “It’s amazing when you get in there and think about it,” he said.
Army veteran Jackie Lorang, a three‑time participant, said the race hit close to home after her father‑in‑law, also a veteran, was recently buried in a veteran cemetery. She described the volunteer‑run burial ceremony as “a big blessing” and a tangible expression of the nation’s support for its veterans.
Statewide veteran context
Montana has one of the nation’s highest veteran populations, with nearly 9% of residents having served, according to the Montana Department of Military Affairs. At the Mountview cemetery alone, staff estimate more than 800 veterans are interred. While the number of annual burials fell after the federal cemetery opened in Laurel, staff now estimate 20 to 35 veteran burials each year across the grounds.
The Patriot Run continues to demonstrate how Billings residents rally around those who defended our freedoms, ensuring that those who served can be honored with dignity and minimal financial burden.
Original reporting: KTVQ Q2 Billings (local) — read the source article.
