Fourth Annual Dutchess County Event Welcomes Warrior Hikers and Demonstrates Appreciation for Veterans
Returning Combat Veterans Hike the Appalachian Trail to “Walk Off the War”
The Warrior Hikers Class of 2016 who are thru-hiking the Appalachian Trail will arrive in Pawling, NY, on Sunday, July 17th. A community barbecue to welcome them will be held at the Ten Mile River Preserve in Dover Plains, NY at 6pm.
The barbecue will be hosted by the Harlem Valley AT Community, and in association with the Dover Plains VFW Post 5444.
Warrior Hike is one of three long programs supported by Warrior Expeditions. The other two are Warrior Bike and Warrior Paddle. Founder and CEO Sean Gobin was named a Top Ten CNN Hero in 2015 for his work supporting combat veterans. [See below for video and interview.] A Marine Corps Captain, Gobin started the “Walk off the War” program to support other combat veterans decompress from their wartime experiences. Returning home in 2012 from three combat deployments to Iraq and Afghanistan, Gobin hiked all 2,185 miles of the Appalachian Trail. Recognizing the therapeutic effects of long distance hiking, Sean created the Program to support veterans transitioning from their military service by thru-hiking America’s National Scenic Trails.
Warrior Expeditions supports eight long distance trails: five in-state National Scenic Trails – Florida Trail, Arizona Trail, Ice Age Trail in Wisconsin, Buckeye Trail in Ohio and Mountains to Sea Trail in North Carolina; three long distance trails: Appalachian, Continental Divide, and Pacific Crest. Last year, Gobin added Warrior Paddle on the Mississippi River, and this year he kicked off Warrior Bike, with two veterans cycling cross country on the TransAmerica Trail, for a total of ten supported programs.
The Warrior Hikers who will stop in the Harlem Valley on their thruhike on the Appalachian Trail will spend the night at Ten Mile, and return to the Trail on Monday, July 18. They are expected to reach the northern terminus of Mount Katahdin, near Millinocket, Maine, on September 16th.
To RSVP for the Barbecue, you may pay at the door or donate on-line. If on-line, please go to https://warriorexpeditions.org/donate/ , write HVATC in the special instructions box after you pay, and indicate how many will attend. If paying by check, please make it out to Warrior Expeditions and email harlemvalleyat@gmail.com with the number in your party.
This event is hosted by the Harlem Valley Appalachian Trail Community, in association with the VFW Post 1949.
Contributors include: Town of Pawling; Town of Dover; Native Landscapes, Ten Mile River Preserve, Dykeman Farms, Ian Holback, Crown Maple, Pawling Girl Scouts, Boy Scout Troop 34 (Dover and Pawling), Enoch Crosby Chapter NSDAR, WholeyOats, Newburgh Brewing Company, Dutchess County Veterans Services, and Fujifilm.
For more information:
About Warrior Expeditions, https://warriorexpeditions.org/
About the Warrior Hikers, Appalachian Trail, Class of 2016,
https://warriorexpeditions.org/expeditions/warrior-hike/appalachian-trail/at-veterans/
About Harlem Valley A.T. Community, www.facebook.com/HarlemValleyAppalachianTrailCommunity
About Appalachian Trail Conservancy, visit, www.appalachiantrail.org
CNN Top Ten Heroes 2015 videos and interview
http://www.cnn.com/2015/06/25/us/cnn-heroes-gobin/
Hearst Media production
http://www.wgal.com/politics/veterans-walk-off-the-war-by-hiking-for-6-months/40370930
