A Port Dover veteran has arrived in London as he continues a charity walk to support homeless veterans. A poster strapped to Ken MacKay’s backpack outlines his path from Windsor, Ont. to Ottawa, Ont. It is a daunting trek for most, but not for MacKay, who regularly hikes European mountains. “This is a cakewalk compared to the mountains of Spain. Those were goat trails. Southern Ontario is pretty flat,” he told CTV News London during a brief stop. Mackay, a veteran himself, feels a “pull” to support those battling post-traumatic stress. “I didn’t go overseas. I didn’t see anything horrific. But I know guys and gals who have, and I want to do something for them,” he said. A Sergeant-at-Arms at his local legion, he mapped out his 800-kilometre path after hearing of the struggles of some of those who faced combat in Afghanistan and Bosnia. “And those memories don’t go away,” said MacKay. “They still get those nightmares. And it’s sad.” At his current place, MacKay is travelling about 25 kilometres per day. He hopes to arrive in Ottawa by June 4. He is raising funds for Homes for Heroes. It builds communities for struggling veterans. A project in London is on its list. With many stops, MacKay’s walk has already raised $30,000. His goal is $250,000. At 65, he is up for the task, agreeing that another man, familiar to CTV London viewers, led the way. The late Tom Hennessey walked 100 kilometres at 100 years of age for the same cause. “I do get inspiration from people who have done this before me, like Tom. So maybe somebody will pick it up after me,” he said. Still, MacKay gets his greatest inspiration from those he’s walking for. “This is nothing. I’m walking. Nobody’s shooting at me. Nobody’s trying to kill me.”
