Cross-country walkers stop by Trinity
Trinity ROTC director Maj. Erek Clacks, left, talks with Kevin Winton, who stopped at Trinity High School to talk with ROTC students. Winton is one of two people walking across America from Atlantic City to San Francisco for Helping Hands of Freedom, a fundraiser for the House of Healing to help Gold Star families. In the background are staff members Joel Myers and A.J. Taylor.
Th motorhome following the walkers has signatures from a variety of people who stop to talk with the group.
Kevin Winton talks Friday with Trinity ROTC students during a stop in Washington while walking across America from Atlantic City to San Francisco for Helping Hands of Freedom, a fundraiser for the House of Healing to help Gold Star families.
Kevin Winton took a furlough from teaching math to traverse the country, but the Indiana man found himself in a familiar role Friday as he assigned homework to Trinity High School students.
“Look up gold star families and check out the website (www.routeforthebrave.org),” he directed JROTC members.
As part of the Helping Hands for Freedom foundation, Winton and David Roth embarked on a 3,091-mile Route for the Brave along historic Route 40, leaving Atlantic City, N.J., April 28 to raise money for a “House of Healing.” The goal is to collect $3.3 million to construct a home that would be available to six military families of armed forces members killed in combat operations, with an on-site therapy center.
“They don’t get death benefits for six to eight months, and they have two weeks to leave (military bases),” Winton said of the families of those killed in action.
The walk also calls attention to the statistic that 22 veterans commit suicide every day. Those who donate at least $22 on the website can be selected to win the donated van support volunteers are using during the trek.
The men sleep in an RV proclaiming their cause and eat meal-replacement bars to get them through the rigorous schedule. They try to average 25 to 30 miles per day in order to meet their goal of making it to San Francisco, Calif, Aug. 26.
Winton and Roth encountered rain every day so far, and the mountains were admittedly difficult. But Winton, who felt compelled to take the challenge after hearing stories of returning veterans, repeats a John Bunyan quote that encourages him to keep going.
“You have not lived today until you have done something for someone who can never repay you.”