“Ruck to Remember” coming to Amherstburg Legion next month

Royal Canadian Legion, Branch 157.

The “Ruck to Remember” is coming to Amherstburg in September.

The event, part of the Royal Canadian Legion’s Ontario Provincial Command’s homeless veteran program called “Operation Leave the Streets Behind,” will see participants come through town Sept. 11 where they will be fed at Royal Canadian Legion Fort Malden Br. 157. 

Participants will be “rucking” for four days from Legion to Legion in the area to raise money for homeless veterans or those approaching homelessness. This year, the walk is in the Windsor-Essex County area and people taking part will be walking approximately 140 kilometres across four days. The distance is calculated based on every veteran and first responder that has been lost over the past year.

It begins Sept. 10 at Royal Canadian Legion Br. 644 in Windsor, before heading out the next day. On Sept. 11, after stops at the Tilston Armoury in Windsor and lunch in LaSalle, the group will come into Amherstburg.

Legion Br. 157 president Shawn Wilkie said as the ruckers come into town around 5 p.m. that day, they will be met by cadets, branch members, police and fire, who will escort them to the Amherstburg Legion. 

The “Ruck to Remember” is in its eleventh year and has raised over $1.2 million so far to help less fortunate veterans. About 1,250 veterans have been helped through the “Leave the Streets Behind” program.

The ruckers will spend the night in Amherstburg before heading to Kingsville the following day where they will stop at Legion Br. 188. On Sept. 13, they will go from Kingsville to Comber and on the final day Sept. 14, they will go from Comber to Chatham Br. 642.

The participants will be carrying backpacks weighing about 40 pounds, Wilkie added.

“Anyone can sign up online at www.ruck2remember.com,” said Wilkie.

Donations are welcome, he added, and can be made at Legion Br. 157. 

The longest “Ruck to Remember” went from Hamilton to Parry Sound, he added.

The public is welcome to cheer the participants on, Wilkie stated. 

“The more the merrier,” he said.

According to background material issued by those putting the walk together, “Ruck To Remember is an organization that serves as a tribute and support to those who have served as a front line responder or military in the present, past, and future. Ruck To Remember is about creating awareness and support for those within our front line responders, which include, Paramedics, Firefighters, Law Enforcement, and Military. Ruck To Remember will host an annual ruck and also take part in multiple events and fundraising hosted by others throughout the year to continue raising awareness and support.”

“Ruck to Remember” coming to Amherstburg Legion next month

By Ron Giofu