June 9th: Soldier's Angel Troy Yocum!

Here's another unbelievable human being walking across America to raise awareness and money for a very special and much needed organization.  Iraq war veteran, Troy Yocum from Kentucky, did some serious soul searching while watching fellow soldiers and their families experience the traumas of war long after they returned home.  He knew that, once his tour was over, he had to do something real and effective to help.  While researching groups to align himself with he found "Soldier's Angles" was where he could do the greatest good and offered himself up to take on a walk across America to draw attention to the Soldier's needs.  Troy spent over 6 months raising money from sponsors for his trip and has a busy itinerary of speaking, meeting and greeting all across the country.  Troy's wife Marieke, whom he met while on leave in Germany, and dog Emmie are walking with him;  friend Terry drives the RV that they sleep in most nights.  This small band of brothers found us, while walking the Katy Trail across Missouri, because the shower in their RV broke and none of them had showered in 4 days!  Hot and sweaty from the humid Missouri summer, the desperate group asked a St. Louis "Trail Angel" to see if someone might put them up for the night.  I said yes in an instant of course, since meeting Jonathan and Ben, I have such a soft spot for anyone doing great humanitarian feats. Small ones too.

Here's the RV the group is traveling in to cross the US twice on their 18 month 7000 mile journey.

Troy on drum, Marieke (with Harley the chihuahua) and Terry singing along with George in the wine cellar.

The guys Jamming....

Troy gets up early each morning to answer the tons of emails he gets and to plan his day.  Emmie and Harley wait patiently under the table. 
Follow Troy on his Blog www.drumhike.com.  Or on Facebook at www.facebook.com/Hike-for-our-Heroes.   Follow Emmie at www.drumhike.com/emmie, she has developed her own set of fans and is becoming the most famous dog in the US!