Fourth annual ‘Run for Briggs’ set for Sunday

This weekend will mark the fourth annual Run for Briggs 5K Run/Walk Race in Calverton, where participants can help local charities and also honor a local hero who gave his life for his country. 

The Dashan J. Briggs Memorial Foundation Inc. was founded in 2021 to honor the late Dashan Briggs by his wife, Rebecca Briggs, and his family.

“Technical Sergeant Dashan Briggs made the ultimate sacrifice while serving in the 106th NYS Air National Guard unit as a Special Missions Aviator in Western Iraq on March 15, 2018, when his HH-60 Pavehawk helicopter crashed,” the foundation states on its website. “It was created to honor his legacy by supporting future generations and teaching them to succeed through perseverance, hard work, and dedication — all traits he embodied.”  

The Run for Briggs 5K Run/Walk Race will start Sunday, May 26, at 8:30 a.m. with a One-Mile Fun Run. The 5K starts at 9 a.m., rain or shine, on Burman Boulevard in Calverton. 

All proceeds from the event go to scholarships for students at Riverhead and Comsewogue high schools, as well as to support future workshops and seminars that teach youth important life skills that they don’t necessarily learn in school, such as CPR/AED training, car maintenance, finance and basic cooking classes, according to the group. 

“This will be our second year that the Run for Briggs 5K will be held on Memorial Day weekend, the kickoff to the Suffolk County Veterans Run Series,” the foundation states. “Please join us for Memorial Day ceremonies directly after the run to honor all the men and women who have made the ultimate sacrifice for our great country.”