Man walks from Florida to Michigan to raise awareness for veterans fund

ROCHESTER HILLS, Mich. – One man is walking over 1,000 miles from Florida to Michigan to raise awareness for the Fallen and Wounded Soldiers Fund.

Jack Huffman, from Center Line, is making the over 1,200-mile trip from Sarasota, Florida to Rochester Hills on foot. He left on May 13, and just recently made it back into Michigan.

“I feel real good to be this close to home,” Huffman said. “It’s nice to be back in Michigan.”

On the walk from Florida, Huffman has made a lot of new friends. Since mid-May, he has walked through varying conditions from thunderstorms to extreme heat, and has been averaging 30 miles per day.

He says he’s walked as many as 49 miles in one day, with 200 pounds of supplies toting behind him.

The timing of the walk isn’t by happenstance: Huffman plans to arrive in Rochester Hills on July 13, just in time for the annual Salute our Warriors fundraiser. The event raises money for the Fallen and Wounded Soldiers Fund, which helps support wounded veterans and active military members and their families.

One of the fund’s board members, Eric Castiglia, says they’ll help any injured veteran with anything they can — and the fundraiser is their biggest event to support their efforts.

Click here to visit the event website for the Salute our Warriors fundraiser in Rochester Hills.