Hero Walk Comes Through Parkesburg On Monday, Leaves Tuesday

This from this morning's Daily Local News:

A group raising funds for the Wounded Warrior program plan to walk through much of Chester County on Monday as they make their way from Philadelphia to the Pittsburgh area in less than two weeks.

The Pennsylvania Hero Walk is in its third year raising funds for Wounded Warriors, which helps soldiers injured in Iraq and Afghanistan pay for medical bills and other expenses. The group walks more than 300 miles — mostly along Route 30.

“I was looking for an attention-getter, something that would raise awareness,” organizer Al Pulice said of his decision to start the walk three years ago. “I thought I’d be making the walk by myself. I never dreamed I would have 20 to 30 people joining us.”

This year, Pulice said 20 people are signed up to walk the entire distance. He said some of those walking with him are members of the Wounded Warrior program. He said those members receive a hero’s welcome in every town they walk through.

The group will walk about 48 miles through Chester County on Monday. Pulice said everyone is welcome to join them on a portion of their walk to help raise awareness and funds.

Last year, the walk raised about $88,000, he said, and so far this year, they have raised about $20,000. Most of the funds generated by the walk are collected by walkers as they solicit donations along the way.

On Sunday the group plans to walk from Philadelphia to Paoli, where they will end at the Paoli VFW Post.

On Monday, they will begin in Paoli at 8 a.m. and walk to the Downingtown VFW for noon. By 1:30, the group plans to be at the Coatesville VA Hospital then visit the Locust Lane Riding Center, a Coatesville-are horse farm, by 3 p.m. At 6 p.m., the group plans to stop at the Coatesville VFW on First Avenue then end their hike at 7:30 p.m. at the VFW in Parkesburg.

On Tuesday, they plan to begin in Parkesburg and head to Lancaster County.

Pulice said the impetus for the walk began a few years ago while he was at work as a grocery store manager. He saw one of his employees pay for the photographs of an Iraq-war soldier who had recently come home as a thank-you gesture. He said that moment inspired him to help the troops.

“If that split second didn’t happen, then none of this would have happened,” he said of the walk.

Pulice said he began work on an Iraq-war memorial, the first in the country, near his hometown in Leechburg, near Pittsburgh. Once the memorial was opened, he sought a new way to raise awareness and decided on the Pennsylvania Hero Walk.

From The Pennsylvania Hero Walk's web site, the Walk's agenda for their time in Parkesburg:

Monday June 13                  Local Contact - Dave Tennant - 610-286-7892    SPONSORED by VFW POST 4480 -  VILLANOVA UNIVERSITY
Depart: Paoli at 8 am. (Rite Aid Plaza)
Arrive: 12:00pm VFW Post 845 Downington, PA. (16 Miles).
Arrive: 1:30 pm VA Hospital in Coatesville, PA.  (26 Miles).
Arrive: 3:00pm Locust Lane Riding Center - sponsored by Shelly Pelet
Arrive: 6:00 pm VFW Post 287 Coatesville, PA.  (29 Miles).
Arrive: 7:30 pm VFW Post 4480 Parkesburg, PA. (29 Miles).
Total Distance Completed to Date: 48 Miles.

Tuesday June 14                                    Local Contact - Bob Weaver - 717-475-1595                 SPONSORED by CONTINENTAL INN  -  JENNY'S DINER 
Depart: Parkesburg (Octorara Trail) (Wal-Mart Plaza) at 8:00 am.
Arrive: 12 noon Gap, Pa.
Arrive: 3:00 pm Paradise, PA. (20 Miles).
Arrive: 7:00 pm Continental Inn. Lancaster, PA. (28 Miles).
Route: 30 Lincoln Hwy WestTotal Distance Completed to Date: 76 Miles