Adult Recess: Veterans' Day Weekend (Veterans FREE w/ID)

Veterans, civilians, families, friends, come play, laugh, and honor those who served. See you at recess! 21+ 🎖️ Veterans VS Everybody RECESS Saturday, November 14 | 2:00 to 6:00 PM | Laurel Hills Park, Raleigh Veterans vs. civilians. The competition that will settle it once and for all! At our last Veterans VS Everybody Recess, the civilians took home the gold. 🥇 Now the veterans want a rematch, and the trash talk is already underway. Come for a friendly day of competition, camaraderie, and gratitude for service. 🏆 VETERANS vs. CIVILIANS CO-ED COMPETITIONS 2:45 PM — Tug-o-War 💪🏾 Pure strength. Pure teamwork. Format: Best 2 out of 3. 3:00 PM — Obstacle Course 🏃🏾‍♀️🏃🏾‍♂️ • Teams of 7 race through a series of challenges: • Run to the tunnel • Crawl through the tunnel • Sack race • Jump rope 20 times • Tag the next teammate • Final leg = SPRINT TO THE FINISH LINE! Winner: First team to finish! 3:30 PM — Push-Up Contest 💪 A 1-minute challenge with 5 people per team. Winner: The team with the highest combined amount of pushups! 3:45 PM — Sumo Wars 🥋 Winner: Last person standing wins for their team. 4:00 PM — Capture the Guidon 🏴 Our NEW co-ed mashup of Capture the Flag + Tag! Each team defends a LEGO-style fort that YOU build. Every player wears a flag belt. Snatch an opponent's flag to send them out of the game. Make it safely back inside your fort and you're safe! Goal: Capture the opposing team's guidon and bring it back to your fort. Format: 10-minute games | First team to win 2 out of 3 takes it! Spades ♠️ - Ongoing Bring your best partner and your best strategy. Format: Game to 150. 🎉 5:00 PM — GRAND FINALE THE SILLY STRING FIGHT! 🎉 To close out Recess season, we're ending with the ultimate Silly String showdown! 🏆 5:30 PM — AWARDS CEREMONY & GRATITUDE ZONE After the final game, we'll take a moment to celebrate and thank our veterans for their honorable service. Then we'll crown the Veterans vs. Everybody champions! 🏆🇺🇸 🎈 Play All Day Between competitions, there's something for everyone: yard games, card and board games, bubbles, and more. Come play, relax, and meet somebody new. 🧺 Bring Your Picnic Bring your own picnic food, enough to share! Let's make it a true community potluck-style afternoon. 💛 Why Veterans vs. EVERYBODY Recess MattersHonoring veterans doesn't always have to look like a parade or a formal ceremony. Veterans vs. EVERYBODY Recess is about more than who takes home the win. It's about honoring our veterans, supporting life after service, and bringing back something many veterans miss: camaraderie, team spirit, belonging, and having people beside you. We want to say thank you by creating opportunities for veterans and the community to have fun, relieve stress, reconnect, and connect with valuable veteran and community resources. For one afternoon, veterans and civilians come together through the things that make us human: Teamwork. Belonging. Fun. Friendly competition. Connection. Leaving the military and adjusting to civilian life can be daunting. Veterans can lose the built-in structure, sense of purpose, camaraderie, and community that came with service. Some of the challenges can include: • Loneliness & isolation: Going from a tight-knit unit to navigating civilian life without that same built-in community can be a difficult adjustment. • Purpose & identity: Who are you when the uniform comes off? • Translating military experience: Helping civilian employers understand the value of your skills and experience. • Navigating resources: Finding your way through VA benefits, healthcare, employment assistance, and other available resources. • Feeling misunderstood: Civilian life can move at a different pace, and it isn't always easy to explain what you've experienced. 🤝 We're Creating a Different Kind of Bridge Veterans vs. EVERYBODY Recess creates space for connection without requiring a formal ceremony. Because sometimes saying "thank you for your service" looks like playing on the same team, laughing together, competing together, or simply having somebody beside you. And sometimes, saying thank you means making sure veterans know where to find support when they need it. 🤝 LET'S PARTNER We're looking to partner with veteran-serving organizations, resources, and service providers who want to connect directly with veterans and their families. If you provide support in: • Employment & career services • Healthcare • Mental wellness • Housing • VA benefits & assistance • Financial resources • Peer support • Community connection We'd love to have you join us as a resource vendor. Set up a table. Share your resources. Meet the community. Help us make sure veterans know they don't have to navigate everything alone. If your organization serves veterans and you'd like to be a resource vendor, contact us! PARKING IS LIMITED: CARPOOLING AND RIDESHARE HIGHLY SUGGESTED!