By SOPHIA ROSE YOUNG
American Legion Post 173
Two charitable men walking 3,091 miles from Atlantic City to San Francisco along historic Route 40 will stop in Hays on Friday for dinner, a Larks game and sleep.
David Roth, Helping Hands for Freedom’s chairman of the board, and his friend Kevin Winton, an eighth-grade teacher, embarked on their journey across America on April 28 and plan to reach San Francisco by Aug. 26. They are currently in Kansas.
“Our ultimate goal for the walk is not only complete the trip, but also to build a house that gives military families an opportunity to connect,” said Roth.
Roth and Winton are walking to raise money so that Helping Hands for Freedom, a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization, can build a house for PTSD sufferers and military families who have lost their loved ones. It can take months for families to receive their death benefits, which makes things even harder when they are forced to relocate from base housing.
“When we get that first family and give them a place of retreat — that will be amazing. That’s everything right there,” said Roth. “The house and PTSD center will be called House of Healing and used as a place of peace where military members returning from deployment can take the time they need to reintegrate back into their home life. Likewise, their families will also be able to stay in the home and partake in special counseling sessions as needed.”
Roth and Winton are expected to reach Hays between noon and 1 p.m. Friday. The American Legion Post 173, 1305 Canterbury, will greet them. The officers of Post 173 are donating money to feed Roth, Winton and the crew that follows them. They will eat from Post 173’s dinner menu after 5 p.m. Anyone is welcome to come for dinner, however, Post 173’s bar and grill is a private club but a membership may be purchased.
After dinner, Roth and Winton, who call their cause Route for the Brave, will watch the Larks play baseball at 7 p.m. Route for the Brave will have a table set up explaining their cause and accepting donations at Larks Park, Fourth and Oak.
Route for the Brave accepts donations on their website, http://www.routeforthebrave.org/. T-shirts, posters and candles are also for sale to help fund the House of Healing.
Donations from members of American Legion Post 173 are helping to pay for hotel rooms at Days Inn, Hays. Also, Post 173 is donating $300 towards the construction of the House of Healing and will be recognized on a plaque in the PTSD center.
Route for the Brave’s daily progress is updated at http://www.facebook.com/Routeforthebrave/.