ATO hikers set to arrive at PCB

Published 7:08 pm Tuesday, March 15, 2022

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A 128.3-mile odyssey will come to an end today for 36 brothers from Troy University’s Alpha Tau Omega fraternity.

Last Friday, the hikers departed from the quad on the university’s campus. Like many other spring breakers, they were headed to Panama City Beach, Fla. However, these 36 young men were on a mission to walk to the beach to raise money for Jeep Sullivan’s Wounded Warrior Outdoor Adventures.

This year, marked the fraternity’s 13th annual Walk Hard charity fundraiser. Since 2015, the proceeds have been donated to Sullivan’s Wounded Warriors.

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“They had a tough day on Sunday,” ATO 2022 Walk Hard Director Matthew Taylor said. “It’s a long stretch from the Alabama state line to Bonifay, where they stopped for the night. But, there were able to get rested and were back in good spirits on Monday and looking forward to making to to Panama City on Wednesday.”

Taylor said the fraternity raised $90,000 on last year’s Walk Hard and this year’s goal is $100,000. He said that would put the fraternity in the neighborhood of raising a half million dollars for Jeep Sullivan’s Wounded Warrior’s Outdoor Adventures.

The fraternity will arrive at Panama City’s Welcome Center on Wednesday around 2 p.m. The fraternity brothers will take the last steps of the journey onto the Panama City Beach pier around 4 p.m.