1 Day for the K.I.A. Military Philanthropy Endurance Run

Inspired by their mission to commemorate fallen military service members, especially those connected to The Ohio State University and the local Columbus area, 1 Day for the K.I.A. hosts a 24-hour military philanthropy endurance run to raise money for the Living Legacy Scholarship.

When a United States military service member is killed in action, missing in action, held prisoner of war or is disabled in the line of military service, two tragedies occur. The first is the loss or disabling of the individual. The second is the resulting parentless childhood endured by the service member's offspring. The child must now grow up lacking the same parental, monetary and emotional support normal in a two-parent household.

1 Day for the K.I.A. helps solve these problems primarily through the Living Legacy Scholarship. Because children are so uniquely similar to their parents, not only biologically but also in terms of personal and familial values, we regard them to be the continuation of their parents. By facilitating the academic and professional growth of the child, we are keeping alive the fallen/disabled service member. Through the same rationale, this scholarship also has been made available to the siblings of our fallen. Lastly, we additionally accomplish this mission by holding several awareness and remembrance events throughout the year.

The Living Legacy Scholarship can be awarded to any incoming or current Ohio State student who is the child or sibling of a U.S. military service member who has been killed in action, listed as Missing in Action, listed as Prisoner of War or permanently disabled as a result of service.

With the help of the incredible members of the 1 Day for the K.I.A. team, Eric Myeroff, a fourth-year aeronautical engineering student at Ohio State and 1 Day for the K.I.A. staff member, was there to support runners throughout the event as they pushed their bodies to their physical limits to raise money for the children of fallen service members.

Myeroff joined the Air Force ROTC program because he always held the belief that the able must protect those who cannot protect themselves. "Philanthropy comes from that same ideal. That it is our duty, to serve, to pay forward, so that those who need help can be lifted up. Of those who have lost a military parent, 60 percent are under the age of 12. The need for our Living Legacy Scholarship is not only current, but will drastically grow in the years to come."

In 2015, the 1 Day for the K.I.A. military philanthropy endurance run raised $14,000 for the Living Legacy Scholarship.

"In 2016, initial estimates put us at $21,000 from our 24-hour race. This will bring the total in the endowment - quite possibly the first ever student-funded endowment in Ohio State history, if I am not mistaken - to over $75,000 in the 3 years since our charity was established! The long-term goal is to have 1.2 million in the endowment so that it will generate a 4-year, full ride every year!" said Myeroff.

For more information about 1 day for the K.I.A. visit, www.1dayforthekia.org or contact Amber Diglaw at diglaw.1@osu.edu