342-Mile Walk Benefits Wounded Soldiers

For Al Pulice, the manager of Giant Eagle in Leechburg, taking a 14-day walk across Pennsylvania is more than exercise. As director of the Kiski Valley Veterans and Patriots Association, he has teamed up to promote an event called the PA Hero Walk on behalf of the Wounded Warriors group.

“It all came about when we were looking for a guest speaker to speak at one of our Kiski Valley veterans events and someone had given me the name of Jeremy Feldbush.”

Feldbush, an Army Ranger from Blairsville, returned from Iraq with a serious brain injury and blind. After being released from Walter Reed hospital, Feldbush realized the challenges of returning to civilian life. He had to readjust to friends, family, community- and most importantly, his new, altered self. With the help of his parents, he became the first national spokesman for the Wounded Warrior Project.

“As I looked at the Wounded Warrior website, I found that they do a lot of good for men and women who are returning and severely injured,” Pulice said. “They not only help the soldiers, but also help the families with expenses of food, housing and childcare during the rehabilitation period. They also take care of the expenses to get the family members to the location where the soldier is hospitalized. They actually go right to the bedside.”

The Kiski Valley Veterans and Patriots Association (KVVPA) is comprised of members throughout the Kiski Valley in Armstrong, Indiana, and Westmoreland counties conducting projects honoring our war veterans.

Pulice has organized an event called the PA Hero Walk to thank all of our veterans who have served in Iraq and Afganistan with special tribute to honor those who were wounded.

This extraordinary event will begin on June 20 in Philadelphia with a stop at Christ Church to honor the memory of General John Forbes, who blazed a route called the Forbes Road which the walkers will mainly follow along Route 30. It includes stops at Devon, Coatesville, Lancaster, York, Gettysburg, Harrisburg, Chambersburg, McConnellsburg, Everett, Ligioner, Blairsville, Leechburg, and finishing on July 4 with a 12 noon music concert in New Kensington.

“The purpose of this long walk across Pennsylvania is to demonstrate the determination of our wounded warriors and bring awareness of their needs to our Commonwealth, raise funds for the Wounded Warrior project through pledges to the walkers and other donations,” Pulice said. He expects to raise at least $250,000 through the project.

The Armstrong County Commissioners have endorsed Pulice’s endeavor. “We commend the efforts of the organizers and the participants of the PA Hero Walk and urge our citizens to support this effort by joining the walk, giving encouragement along the route, contributions, and any other support available,” Commissioner Patricia Kirkpatrick said.

“I was present at the Strongland Chamber of Commerce dinner when Jeremy spoke last year. It is very emotional when you hear this young man and what he is giving back,” Kirkpatrick added. “Since he is from our area of Western Pennsylvania, that is a testament to the kind of people we have that are serving our country.”

For more information on this event, go online to: wwww.paherowalk.org