About Smoking Shields NC

By Morgan Starling The Daily News 

Aug 19, 2024  

A North Carolina nonprofit is preparing for its annual Survive the 55 hike, an event that raises awareness about law enforcement suicide and mental health. 

Smoking Shields was started in 2015 in New York by a group that had gathered to grieve the loss of a fellow officer killed in the line-of-duty. They shared good conversation and a cigar or two. 

It was such a good time, in fact, the group began to meet every month, and Smoking Shields was born. 

Smoking Shields now has about a dozen chapters across the U.S., helping to provide financial assistance to law enforcement professionals, service members and their families. Smoking Shields North Carolina President Mark Lobel said every month, they hold a meeting at a cigar lounge. 

Throughout the month, the members collect cigars to then be shipped to another nonprofit, Cigars for Warriors, who in turn gets the cigars to overseas troops for a taste of home. That’s not all they do, though. 

“Our chapter itself, we also support any current or fallen law enforcement officer in the state,” Lobel, who is also a detective sergeant with the Pender County Sheriff’s Office, said. “We’ll fundraise for them, we’ll collect money, and we then distribute checks to the families or the officer himself if he’s injured in the line of duty.” 

But Smoking Shields North Carolina wanted to do even more. So, they partnered with fellow nonprofit, The Honor Hike Foundation, to create the Survive the 55 hike. Lobel said most know about the suicide epidemic in the military, but many from their chapter had felt the issue was just as bad in law enforcement. 

After doing some research, it was discovered the average for law enforcement suicides is one every 55 hours. 

That’s when the idea to hike 55 miles on Topsail Island came to light. 

“We figured we would do it in the course of three days,” Lobel said. “People on the beach, you can’t get a better platform than being able to talk to folks who are here on vacation from all parts of the United States.” 

The first Survive the 55 hike took place in 2018, and Lobel said people were very receptive. He added that it’s grown every year since, and now they distribute more than 1,000 informational cards during the three-day event. People will actually come up to the hikers and share their personal experiences with law enforcement suicide. 

“We’ve had cops who’ve come up to us and said, it’s really good to see you guys out here. I appreciate it. I was feeling off today but seeing you guys makes me feel a better type of way,” Lobel said. “A lot of times, it’s just one person or conversation to change a person’s mindset of getting out of that dark place.” 

Smoking Shields NC members will be hiking, but they aren’t the only ones. Any community member who is interested can participate, whether for just one mile, or all 55. Smoking Shields members from other chapters and other nonprofits will also be joining. 

A homeowner in Surf City has even donated a house for the core group to stay in for the weekend. 

The event will begin Friday, Sept. 13 at the north end of North Topsail Beach with a prayer service around 5 a.m. The group will then hike 23 miles that day. 

Saturday, they’ll meet at the South Topsail Police Department around the same time, traveling back the other direction 23 miles. 

Sunday, they’ll finish out the hike in Surf City at the Roland Avenue Beach Access where they’ll be met with bagpipers from the Wilmington Police Pipes & Drums and the Blue Knights Motorcycle Club before being escorted off the beach to Soundside Park for closing ceremonies. 

“Everybody has said, I didn’t think that walking 55 miles on a beach is that rough, but it is one of the toughest things,” Lobel said. “On top of that, you have an opportunity over those 55 miles to bond, talk, interact with the public, but more importantly, you get to have a real, soul-searching moment of just clarity on the beach where it’s just you, the sand and the water.” 

Those who would like to participate in the Survive the 55 hike can email smoking.shieldsnc@gmail.com or visit their website. Local businesses will be supplying water, electrolytes and food for the hikers, so all participants need to bring is themselves. 

Lobel said they also accept donations, and every dollar raised during the event will go back to NC LEAP, the North Carolina Law Enforcement Assistance Program. 

“We can’t make this happen without the support of the public, the hikers, and most importantly, to just remember that those in law enforcement do go through rough spells,” Lobel said. “It’s okay to not be okay, and we have to end that stigma of, it’s okay to ask for help if you need it.” 

Reporter Morgan Starling can be reached at mstarling@jdnews.com