The IGA Wellness Walk and Run, held in San Diego, honored Ernie Stevens Jr. with around 100 participants. Organized by Veterans in Gaming, the event celebrated service and community, featuring a one-mile walk and a 1.5-mile run. This initiative aims to foster connections among veterans in the gaming industry while promoting wellness.
A new tradition honoring the late Ernie Stevens Jr., former Chairman of the Indian Gaming Association, kicked off with great enthusiasm. The inaugural IGA Wellness Walk and Run took place near the San Diego Convention Center, attracting around 100 participants to the early morning event, which started at 7 a.m., just two hours before the day’s conference events began.
This event was spearheaded by Veterans in Gaming, a group comprising military veterans working in the casino industry. Their mission aligns closely with the values that guided Stevens’s life, particularly the spirit of service. Stevens’s father, Ernie Stevens Sr., was a U.S. Marine who instilled in him the principles of discipline and dedication.
This year’s walk featured Dawn Manuelito, a member of the Navajo Nation and founder of Manuelito Health and Wellness Systems. She led the participants in honor of her grandfather, PFC James C. Manuelito Sr., a Navajo Code Talker who served during World War II.
Daniel Kustelski, co-founder and CEO of Chalkline, played a significant role in organizing the event. As a U.S. Army veteran himself, Kustelski noted that they had hosted similar fun runs at the Global Gaming Expo in Las Vegas for five years. Last year marked the inaugural collaboration with IGA, and this time, IGA show Chair Victor Rocha felt it was fitting to honor Stevens by combining the concepts of running, walking, and wellness.
The course included a one-mile walk and a 1.5-mile run along the scenic San Diego harbor, reaching the USS Midway Museum. Kustelski remarked that this setting was particularly meaningful from a veterans’ perspective.
The success of this first event has inspired plans for future gatherings, as Kustelski expressed satisfaction with the turnout, emphasizing the positive feedback from participants who appreciated the beautiful San Diego setting.
Veterans in Gaming is a non-profit organization focused on connecting veterans, fostering relationships, and building community within the gaming industry. The group also assists veterans transitioning out of military service, helping them explore opportunities in the gaming sector.
Kustelski, who proudly wears a Veterans in Gaming pin at the event, highlighted the instant sense of camaraderie that emerges when veterans gather. He noted, “We’re all in it, and there are a lot of opportunities.”
He further elaborated on the challenges many veterans face during their transitions, stating, “A lot of them don’t know what they’re going to do, where they’re going to land, and what industries are fun.” Kustelski pointed out the diversity of career paths available in gaming, including finance, security, technology, and marketing.
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