‘March 4 Vets’ walks Putnam to Maple

Participants+in+the+fourth+annual+March+4+Vets+events+poses+for+a+photo+outside+of+the+Zanesville+VFW+before+taking+to+the+trail.+

Participants in the fourth annual March 4 Vets events poses for a photo outside of the Zanesville VFW before taking to the trail.

By Jessica Johnston, Assistant News Director
November 11, 2018

Sunday morning’s 22 degrees didn’t stop about 30 people from showing their support for the armed forces this Veterans Day.

For the fourth time, a group of veterans, and supporters, walked a 5.6 mile trail from the Zanesville VFW on Putnam Avenue to Colony Square Mall on Maple Avenue.

The leader of the group, Justin Smith, said about $2,000 have been raised thus far, although he keeps the donation pool open until a week after the march.

“Every year, I’ve always had people contact me afterward saying they want to donate but saying they couldn’t make the walk,” Smith said.

While Smith said he was expecting a few more people to show up, he was thankful for the participants he did have.

“I’m just glad we get to do it together every year,” Smith, a nine year veteran, said. “It’s still good to see people from our community come out and be willing to come out and donate their time and their money to help out the veterans.”

Smith began the March 4 Veterans four years ago to help support veterans with post traumatic stress. He served two tours in Iraq during his time in the Army Reserves.

During the march Sunday morning, Smith had a surprising participant.

“Actually, one of the guys here, Ron … he was actually my platoon sergeant years ago. I haven’t seen him since, probably, 2008,” Smith said.

Just after the march started along Moxahala Avenue just after 9 a.m., cars began honking at the group marching along with American flags.

“Especially when we get up to Maple, and the cars are more active, there are people blowing their horns the whole time,” Smith said. “Normally down through here (on Moxahola Avenue) there’s people coming out of their house and donate money, too. Like toward the end there’s an old lady and she usually does.”

That march wrapped up at Colony Square mall later Sunday morning.

The donations from the march are benefiting Save a Warrior, an organization dedicated to helping veterans, active duty members and first responders with post traumatic stress.

Anyone looking to support SAW can give donations to Smith by contacting 740.891.0006.