Veterans, military families, and supporters gathered in rainy weather at Cadman Plaza Park for the inaugural Five Borough Veterans Memorial Day ruck march. Participants carried heavy backpacks filled with nonperishable food and crossed from Brooklyn to Manhattan, stopping at the Vietnam Veterans Plaza and the 9/11 Memorial. The route emphasized carrying the weight throughout the walk as a form of remembrance and solidarity. After the march, the collected food was donated to help veterans and New Yorkers experiencing homelessness. Marine veteran Joseph Zoleta marched with family and described continuing to move forward together despite the burden. Community leaders joined, and organizers planned to make the ruck march an annual tradition to strengthen support for veterans’ housing and healthcare.
"Under grey skies and steady rain, military families and supporters gathered at Cadman Plaza Park on Sunday afternoon. Marchers carried backpacks, or rucks, filled with nonperishable food, and crossed from Brooklyn to Manhattan, making stops at locations such as the Vietnam Veterans Plaza and the 9/11 Memorial. Participants were encouraged to carry the weight throughout the route."
"Marine veteran Joseph Zoleta had family by his side on what can be an emotional weekend. This was not Zoleta's first time marching with weight on his back. "Although it is heavy, we still continue to move forward ... no matter the struggle, but most importantly is that we do it together," he said."
""We're going to honor and support our veterans and their families, and do better to make sure that they have housing and healthcare," he said. "By doing things like this in public, where the public can see us and hopefully join us, it can not only bring our community together, but bring New Yorkers together as a whole," Five Borough Veterans President Michael Matos said."
"At the end of the walk, the food was donated to help veterans and New Yorkers experiencing homelessness. Organizers plan to make the ruck march an annual tradition."
Read at Cbsnews
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