Georgia Perimeter College Newsroom

Student challenges herself during physical fitness event. (photo by Leita Cowart)

Give Them 20 event paid tribute to military veterans. (photo by Leita Cowart)

Dunwoody SGA members helped to sponsor and also participated in the event. (photo by Leita Cowart)

Students, faculty and staff participated in the physical fitness challenge at Dunwoody Campus. (photo by Leita Cowart)

GPC ‘gives 20’ to salute military veterans

by Rebecca Rakoczy

(View video) (View WSB-TV report)

Ouch. That’s going to hurt tomorrow.

Georgia Perimeter Dunwoody student Jordan Marshall struggled—and finally succeeded—in “tumbling” a massive 300-pound tire, in a test of physical endurance used by the U.S. Marines and the Army. 

The rain subsided temporarily as Marshall joined other students, faculty and staff in running an obstacle course, lifting weights and doing push-ups as part of the Give Them 20 fitness challenge at Dunwoody Campus.

GPC weight training instructor Robert Scott brought his entire class out to the event, and members of the GPC Dunwoody Student Government Association and Student Veterans Association helped organize and also participated in the challenge.

“If it doesn’t rain, we don’t train,” joked Graham Hull, a student Army veteran who participated in the fitness challenge under a threatening sky.

Started by American Corporate Partners, which encourages companies to mentor veterans who are returning to the workforce, the Give Them 20 Challenge is a national campaign to recognize the service and sacrifices of veterans, says Mark Eister, GPC’s director of military outreach.

The challenge is simple: just do 20 push-ups, sit-ups or jumping jacks. The challenge can extend to time spent with veterans as well, says Eister. “It’s important to show a little effort for all their sacrifices,” he says.

After everyone finished their push-ups, Eister challenged all University System of Georgia colleges to pick up the challenge and honor their student veterans by “giving them 20.”

GPC serves about 1,100 military veterans and their dependents, says Eister. More than 280 military veterans are students at Dunwoody Campus.

To view GPC’s fitness challenge, go to https://vimeo.com/138877922