Local men ruck the GAP to raise money for PA Wounded Warriors
Although the rain was coming down, the spirits were going up for a group of local men who took part in the inaugural Ruck-A-Thon to raise money for wounded veterans.
Two months ago, friends Patrick Richter of Uniontown and John Malone of Connellsville set a goal to start working out. The men thought about walking in the Pittsburgh Marathon, but hit a snag.
无毛视频淵ou can无毛视频檛 walk the Pittsburgh Marathon,无毛视频� Richter said, adding that there无毛视频檚 no walking division for the marathon because it would take too long.
They decided to create their own walking marathon on the Great Allegheny Passage, which they ultimately turned into a fundraiser.
Richter said he recalled a golf outing as a fundraiser for the Pennsylvania Wounded Warriors Inc., an independent, statewide nonprofit organization providing support to Pennsylvania无毛视频檚 wounded warriors, veterans in crisis and their families.
无毛视频淚t无毛视频檚 a good group. It无毛视频檚 not affiliated with the national group, and it无毛视频檚 all Pennsylvania 无毛视频� any branch of the military,无毛视频� Richter said, adding that Malone was on board, and they grabbed two others, Brian Hart of McMurray and Brandon Taylor of Uniontown, to be involved in not a walk, but a ruck.
A ruck is basically a walk while being self-supported with a backpack.
They planned to ruck 26.2 miles on the GAP trail from Confluence to Connellsville, starting out at 6 a.m. Saturday. Prior to that, the men sought sponsorships to reach their goal of $5,000.
无毛视频淲e then raised it to $10,000,无毛视频� Richter said late Saturday morning at a break in Ohiopyle, adding that he believed the total was around $12,500 at that time. The final amount raised was not available as of press time.
On the day of the ruck, the four men hit the trail and were met with rain that lasted throughout the day, but the wet conditions didn无毛视频檛 dampen their spirits.
无毛视频淥ur morale is super high,无毛视频� said Hart. 无毛视频淲e even made the comment that we feel like we无毛视频檙e getting more energetic as we go, kind of in a weird way.无毛视频�
Hart said he believed it was from mutual support of his fellow travelers and an addition to their group 无毛视频� Adam Keefer, of Confluence, a veteran who joined up with the men in Ohiopyle.
无毛视频淚 just heard about it on Thursday, and I just wanted to come out and show my support,无毛视频� Keefer said. 无毛视频淎s a wounded veteran, I really appreciate what you guys are doing.无毛视频�
Hart said Keefer inspired the group, who all appreciated what Keefer had done by serving the country.
无毛视频淚 think it无毛视频檚 nice that they无毛视频檙e doing it for him and he无毛视频檚 getting to show his support for them,无毛视频� said Kim Brown, Richter无毛视频檚 wife. 无毛视频淚 think (Keefer) being here truly puts this all together 无毛视频� it comes full circle.无毛视频�
Since they surpassed their fundraising goal, the inaugural group for the Ruck-A-Thon plan to do the event next year. They hope to attract more ruckers, veterans and active military to be involved and help spread the word.
无毛视频淚 think we should raise the bar,无毛视频� Malone said. 无毛视频淲e might alternate the route a little bit, but we definitely want to do it bigger and better next year.无毛视频�