UTICA, N.Y. — Chicken riggies gave a familiar hometown flavor to a fundraiser with a purpose that reaches beyond the dinner table. Sitrin’s fourth annual Riggie Run, Walk and Utica Riggie Fest brought people to SUNY Polytechnic Institute on Sunday, Oct. 11, to support care for post-9/11 veterans and service members.

WKTV’s Oct. 11 coverage, indexed by Muck Rack, reported a 5K run, wheelchair race, two-mile walk and one-mile children’s run, followed by tastings and voting involving 11 local restaurants. The beneficiary was Sitrin’s Military Program, based in New Hartford.

The connection between the food and the cause is straightforward: the event gives residents a way to support a local rehabilitation program while enjoying a dish closely associated with Utica. The money supports services intended to address physical injuries, emotional distress and the transition from military service to civilian life.

The Utica Riggie Fest is not just about food; it’s about community and supporting those who have served our country.

What made the Riggie Run different?

The organizer’s 2026 event plan offered both traditional 5K divisions and an optional Riggie Challenge. Challenge participants were required to eat a bowl of chicken riggies at the halfway point before continuing. Wheelchair competitors also had a challenge option.

The format put a recognizable local dish at the center of the fundraiser. It also gave people several ways to take part, from a shorter walk to a children’s run. The published schedule included a presentation of the colors, a salute, Taps and the national anthem before the adult races.

Riggiefest was scheduled in the Wildcat Field House after the races. Registered run and walk participants could sample restaurant entries without another admission charge. Other community members could attend the tasting separately. The organizer listed admission at $10 for adults and $5 for children ages 6–11, with the youngest children admitted free.

Those details describe the event’s published format. They should not be mistaken for a final attendance report or an accounting of money collected.

Who benefits from the fundraiser?

The official Riggiefest ticket page identifies Sitrin’s Military Program as the beneficiary of all proceeds. It describes complimentary care for post-9/11 veterans and service members experiencing conditions including post-traumatic stress, traumatic brain injuries, depression and suicidal thoughts.

Sitrin’s veteran-care overview says post-9/11 veterans treated through its program pay nothing for their care. The organization also describes services for rehabilitation and civilian reentry, opportunities for veterans with physical disabilities to participate in adaptive sports, and activities involving families.

For readers, that distinction matters. This fundraiser supports a specific local care program. It is not simply a general tribute to military service. A person seeking help should contact the program directly to discuss eligibility, current services and individual needs.

What does Sitrin’s military care include?

According to Sitrin’s Military Program description, its approach draws on a team that includes physicians, a psychologist, case managers, therapists, rehabilitation nursing staff and a registered dietitian.

Services may include individual counseling, family sessions, occupational therapy, and physical and aquatic therapy. Other activities can involve gardening and outdoor work, interactions with horses, movement, recreation and adaptive sports. Sitrin says treatment is organized around the person’s needs and recovery goals.

The program lists conditions ranging from traumatic brain injury and spinal cord injuries to depression, anxiety, orthopedic conditions and multiple trauma. That range helps explain why support can involve several disciplines rather than a single appointment or service.

These are the provider’s descriptions of its services, not an independent evaluation of treatment outcomes. They also do not mean every veteran receives every listed therapy. Families interested in care can ask the team what an assessment involves and which options are appropriate.

Why does community connection matter to this program?

Sitrin’s Military-Civilian Coalition is designed to bring veterans and civilians together through social and athletic activities. The organization describes its goals as camaraderie, advocacy, education and support during the transition to civilian life.

Its listed activities include wheelchair basketball, fly fishing, archery, cycling, yoga, gardening and therapeutic drumming. The point of the coalition is broader than a particular sport: it creates opportunities to meet, participate and build relationships in community settings.

The organization’s program overview also describes an annual Warrior Retreat for veterans and families and partnerships involving students from Utica University and SUNY Poly. Sitrin identifies veterans from the Mohawk Valley and other parts of New York among those connected with its services.

Its retreat information describes a camping weekend with family activities and team-building opportunities at Camp Sitrin. These services show how the local veterans initiative extends beyond the race and tasting that bring public attention to it each fall.

What do earlier Riggie Fests tell us?

Earlier editions provide useful background, as long as their figures remain attached to the correct year. In its 2023 recap, Sitrin reported 356 registrations for the running, walking, wheelchair and challenge events, with at least another 100 people attending Riggiefest. That first event raised more than $42,000, according to the organizer.

For 2025, Sitrin reported more than 550 run, walk and wheelchair registrations and more than 1,000 Riggiefest attendees. Its June 2026 announcement said the previous year’s events raised more than $45,000.

The 2025 recap named Maggiolino’s as the best overall winner and Tony’s of Washington Mills as the most creative winner. Those are last year’s results. They are not the winners of the Oct. 11, 2026 competition.

This year’s final fundraising total, attendance, complete participating-restaurant list and tasting winners were not independently verified for this article as of Oct. 12. The early announcement anticipated more than a dozen restaurants; the event-day WKTV report cited 11. This article uses the event-day count and does not assume that the preliminary plan was the final roster.

How can readers learn more or support veterans?

Veterans and family members can call Sitrin’s Military Program at 315-737-2435 or use its online information-request form. Ask about eligibility, referrals, available care and opportunities to participate in community activities.

Residents who missed the fundraiser can consult Sitrin’s donation information and ask how to direct support to the Military Program. Businesses interested in a future event can contact the organization about participation rather than assuming next year’s arrangements are already set.

For Utica, Riggiefest brings together a familiar food tradition and a practical local purpose. The competition draws attention, but the lasting story is the care and community connections the fundraiser is intended to support after the serving tables are cleared.