REIDSVILLE, N.C. — Before he sets off for the Nation's Capital, a Summerfield veteran was presented with a $10,000 check on Tuesday along with a personalized bottle of Evan Williams Bourbon.
Terry Sharpe, a former M60 Machine Gunner in the US Marine Corps, is one of six veterans being honored by Evan Williams for their acts of service in the military and their community. Evan Williams celebrates the veterans as 'American-Made Heroes.'
Terry is known as 'the Walking Marine.' Since 2014, he's made a 300-mile, 22-day journey from Summerfield to Washington, DC around Memorial Day. The walk is part of an effort to raise awareness for veteran causes like hunger, homelessness and PTSD. Terry starts this year's walk on Wednesday and he hopes to arrive at the White House on May 25.
Terry was 17 in 1968 when he had a chance encounter with a Marine who recently returned from Vietnam. That led Terry to join the Marines.
As part of the honor, Evan Williams will give $10,000 to the Rockingham County Veterans' Coalition, Terry's selected charity, to further his mission of community service. Terry's story will be featured on a custom bottle of Evan Williams in stores around Memorial Day.
The event will be at the Veterans of Foreign Wars on Church Street Ext. in Reidsville at 10 a.m.
You can learn more about Terry's walk at walkingmarine.com.
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