Walk Hard
BY RAY VAN COR
The Greenville Standard
Before I get to the title of this article and no it’s not about the comedy movie ‘Walk Hard’ the Dewey Cox story which was a comedy spoof of Johnny Cash.
I met with my oldest daughter in Enterprise to celebrate her 24th birthday and then we ventured south.
Rolling down Alabama State Highway 134 we passed a bunch of guys walking with backpacks that were strewn out over several miles.
Curiosity got the better of me and I had to find out what was going on. I stopped at this Marathon convenience store where there was a group of young men gathered around a table under a white canopy.
Approaching the table, I introduced myself and asked who can tell me what’s going on here.” Sometimes I forget I’m not in the military, law enforcement or in charge anymore, but my wife constantly reminds me, constantly.
A young man introduced himself and explained, “I’m Devin Gilliam of Alpha Tau Omega fraternity at Troy University and this ‘Walk Hard.’
“My fraternity brothers and I decided to support war veterans who have defended our liberty and freedoms.” A lump the size of an orange came into my throat as young Devin continued to explain. “Walk Hard is a 6-day 128.3-mile hike from Troy to Panama City to raise money and awareness for Jeep Sullivan’s Wounded Warrior Outdoor Adventures project.
“Sullivan meets the needs of veterans who have been injured in war and suffer physically and mentally through outdoor activities such as hunting and fishing.
“They are introduced to other wounded warriors and befriended by Sullivan who shares the gospel of Jesus Christ thereby opening an avenue for healing and new lives.”
Sullivan has served countless veterans who’ve suffered amputations, post-traumatic stress disorder and other serious ailments.
The organization has been life changing for many of American heroes. “My fraternity brothers and I want to continue to support Mr. Jeep Sullivan who selflessly supports American heroes.” The encounter with this group of college students was totally opposite of what I expected. Several hours passed before the lump went away and I left with a sense of pride knowing our youth cared for something other than themselves.
One local youth, Braxton Daniel who is attending Troy, also participated in the event.
This organization is a certified 501 (c) 3 philanthropy and any donations are tax deductible. To donate you can visit https://ato.crowdchange.co/10393/page/156813, or for more information visit the Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/ATOWalkHard/.
