Carl Vinson VA Medical Center promotes healthy living with annual ‘VA2K Walk and Roll’ event

What started as a way to get veterans up and moving has now grown into a collaboration to help the community.

DUBLIN, Georgia (41NBC/WMGT) — What started as a way to get veterans up and moving has now grown into a collaboration to help the community.

The Carl Vinson VA Medical Center in Dublin held its 12th annual ‘VA2K Walk and Roll’ event Wednesday.

Veterans, healthcare workers and others in the community walked or used a wheelchair to travel two miles.

Tents were set up to collect donations for homeless veterans, and there was also a meditation circle and a drum circle to get people focused on mental health.

The idea, organizers say, is simple: get more people moving, whether it’s walking, running or even blowing bubbles.

Jennifer Johnson, a registered nurse with the VA, says she just wants veterans to feel welcomed.

“When our veterans step in the door, it’s about veteran-centered care,” she said. “So if we get nothing else out of today, we want to make sure that people are aware of the large homeless veteran population and that we’re here to help make contacts, but also help our veterans realize we want to be part of their team. We want them to feel empowered to drive their care.”