BALTIMORE — The Patriot Challenge was started by a veteran nonprofit called Gallant Few.
Over the last 15 years, they called their biggest fundraiser "Run Ranger Run" and now it’s called the “Patriot Challenge”.
Each member of a team has to move 56 miles while fundraising .
“Walk, crawl, bike, swim, doesn’t matter. However, you want to complete those that’s the challenge,” said Marcus Hull.
Marcus Hull, a Retired United States Army Ranger, works for RBC Wealth Management and connects veterans to services and nonprofits in need.
The run is in honor of Army Ranger Cory Smith who ran 565 miles from Georgia to Indiana to bring awareness to the challenges facing transitioning service members.
Half of the money goes towards Gallant Few and their efforts to help veterans and the other half goes towards other veteran organizations.
“Paws4Vets who we’ve worked with in the past very successfully providing service dogs to veterans with PTSD,” Hull said.
The Three Rangers Foundation is one of the organizations it helps.
Hull is the director of the program that transitions Rangers to civilian life.
The other two other groups are the Fischer House and Soldier's Six.
“Veterans get forgotten about and people forget that we’re still at war. I hope one day that ends. I hope that’s sooner than later. RBC has recognized this is a segment of the population that will not be forgotten.”
It’s been difficult to raise funds during the pandemic.
Hull said it’s more important than ever to support organizations that are giving back.
“Our golf tournament was one of our biggest fundraisers and we couldn’t do it this year, so we did the Mogadishu Mile event back at the beginning of October,” said Hull. “We didn’t raise as much as we did from the golf tournament, but it sure does help an awful lot.”
Heroes helping heroes one step at a time.
To learn more or to sign up for the Patriot Challenge click here.
The challenge starts in February.