Alexandria Boy Scout Organizes Community Walk for Veteran Suicide Prevention
Cameron Berry, 14, organized the 1.5-mile event in Alexandria as part of the American Legion’s "Be the One" campaign.
ALEXANDRIA, VA — Nearly 200 people participated in a 1.5-mile community walk in Alexandria, Virginia, to support veteran suicide prevention, an event organized by 14-year-old Boy Scout Cameron Berry as part of his Eagle Scout service project, as reported on the American Legion website today.
The event, held under sweltering temperatures in the mid-90s, followed a route through historic Old Town Alexandria, including King Street, Founders Park, and the Potomac River waterfront. The walk was organized in partnership with American Legion Post 24 and aligned with Be the One, a national campaign by The American Legion focused on reducing the rate of veteran suicides.
According to The American Legion, Be the One encourages individuals to “be the one to ask veterans how they are doing, be the one to listen, and be the one to make a difference.” The initiative is part of the Legion’s larger effort to address the mental health challenges facing America’s veterans.
Berry, a member of Scout Troop 301 and a rising freshman at Alexandria City High School, said he was inspired to organize the event after learning about another Scout’s veteran-related project. With guidance from American Legion Post 24 and his family, Berry spent over a month planning the walk.
“I talked with my mom about Eagle Scout projects and then asked the Legion if I could do anything with them,” Berry said, as quoted by The American Legion. “(Post Adjutant Scott Allen) said there was a campaign that I could host a walk.”
Veteran support organizations and public agencies, including the Virginia Department of Veterans Services, Veterans of Foreign Wars, the U.S. Department of Labor’s VETS program, and the Suicide Prevention Coalition of Northern Virginia, participated by setting up informational tables in Market Square prior to the walk.
Vice-Mayor Sarah Bagley read an official proclamation on behalf of Mayor Alyia Gaskins and the Alexandria City Council, declaring June 22 “Veteran Suicide Prevention Day” in the city. The proclamation affirmed Alexandria’s support for mental health awareness and its commitment to preventing veteran suicides.
American Legion Post 24 Commander Kelly Niernberger praised the effort and turnout. “It’s our duty,” Niernberger told The American Legion. “And it’s great that [the community] want[s] to be a part of that and help make it stronger.”
Participants were encouraged to sign a “Be the One” banner that Berry carried at the front of the procession, walking beside his grandfather, a Vietnam War veteran. The banner symbolized each participant’s pledge to support struggling veterans.
“Your signature is more than just ink on fabric,” Berry said in his opening remarks. “It’s a visible reminder to every veteran who sees it that we care, we’re grateful, and we will not forget them.”
His parents, Craig and Amber Berry, helped support the event logistics. Craig Berry, a retired Army and Army Reserve veteran of 41 years, said he was proud of his son’s decision to focus on such an impactful issue.
“It was a lot of work,” Craig Berry said. “We had his back. But at the end of the day, it was his project.”
Cameron Berry later expressed surprise at the community’s response. “I really didn’t expect that many people to show up,” he told The American Legion. “I expected around 30 to 50. When I saw the amount of people … I was just amazed.”
The walk concluded with a reception hosted by American Legion Post 24, where participants cooled off and connected with veterans and service providers.
For more information on the Be the One campaign, visit betheone.org.
