One Mile at a Time, For Those Who Serve
On September 19, 2026, the slopes of Buck Hill in Burnsville, Minnesota, will become the setting for something more than a race. They’ll become a place of remembrance, resilience, and quiet courage. Welcome to Heroes on the Hill, a patriotic endurance challenge built on a simple but powerful idea: that physical action can heal, that movement is medicine, and that every step up a hill can stand for someone who deserves to be remembered.
At its heart, Heroes on the Hill is an all-day endurance event with a format designed to prove that action changes outcomes. Participants climb a one-mile loop at Buck Hill as many times as they can, testing their physical and mental limits in honor of those who serve. There is no minimum and no maximum. Because movement is medicine for the mind just as much as the body, every single lap counts. Walkers, hikers, and runners of all fitness levels are welcome, moving entirely at their own pace across the scenic, elevation-gaining terrain. The event starts at 7:00 am, and from then on, the hill belongs to the heroes and those climbing in their name.
But the climb is really a metaphor for recovery and endurance. As the organization puts it, every lap represents “strength, resilience, and the courage to speak up.” Heroes on the Hill exists to break the stigma surrounding mental health in veteran and first responder communities, populations that carry extraordinary burdens and too often suffer in silence. By turning a physical challenge into a public act of solidarity, the event proves that movement is medicine—channeling physical effort into mental breakthroughs, making space for honesty about struggle, and reminding those who serve that they are not alone.
The people Heroes on the Hill serves are veterans and first responders, the men and women who answer the call when others cannot. Proceeds from the event go directly toward mental health counseling for veterans, suicide prevention and resources, first responder wellness programs, and community awareness events. It’s a model the organization fundamentally describes as “movement is medicine,” a philosophy made tangible through its commitment to direct impact, proving that a community’s stride can help heal the invisible wounds of its heroes.
That commitment to remembrance lives most visibly on the event’s Honor Wall, where participants submit the names of those they’re climbing for. Each name, whether a service member or a first responder, tells a story of courage and sacrifice, transforming the event from a personal fitness challenge into a collective tribute fueled by purpose.
Behind the mission is a team of co-founders and board members united by a shared belief in active advocacy. Co-founders Luis Nebel, Julie Pagano, and Ross Hewitt lead the effort, supported by board members Francesco Marraffa, Cody Yard, and Nathan Birr, each bringing dedication to honoring those who serve and advancing mental health advocacy.
Heroes on the Hill is a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit (EIN: 99-2960679), and all donations are tax-deductible. For those who want to be part of the mission, there are many ways to put this belief into action: registering for the challenge, donating, volunteering, or sponsoring the event. As race day approaches, the message remains constant. This is a community built to support the people who spend their lives supporting everyone else, proving one mile at a time that movement is medicine.
