Walk-A-Mile participants experience the struggle of homelessness in Grant County

By Emily Bontrager and Sydney Lyerle

Participants in the Grant County Rescue Mission’s 20th annual Walk-A-Mile experienced the struggle of living outside in the winter by walking a mile in downtown Marion. 

Those who came to the event had the opportunity to carry a backpack on the walk. Each pack was filled and had a notecard attached to it with a note from someone who was or is involved with the rescue mission

“When you do the Walk-A-Mile you always have the opportunity to pick up a backpack to, I guess, make it a more realistic experience,” said John Cruzan, a Walk-A-Mile participant. “Try to understand for a short time what it’s like to be outside and possibly have everything you own on your back in a backpack.”

Cruzan has been attending the Walk-A-Mile event for three years with his coworkers. He said that carrying a bag and participating in the walk provides a brief glimpse into what life is like for people who have no place to go. 

Megan Swan participated in Walk-A-Mile for the first time, and took a backpack that represented a woman who was living outside last year. 

“One of the individuals came to the Open Heart Women’s Shelter, because she had a relapse, and recognized that she needed a safe place to go and people that she could trust,” said Swan. “So this is kind of representative of the fact that she was out in the cold last March.”

Grant County Rescue Mission Executive Director Brad Terhune said that Walk-A-Mile takes place in February every year so participants can experience what those without a home have to face during the winter months. 

“We walk outside and feel the cold, the chill on our faces, and realize that there are those that have to be out in this,” Terhune said. 

Terhune said that events like Walk-A-Mile provide a space where people who live in the shelter and people who do not live in the shelter can have conversations. 

“Today, we have real conversations,” Terhune said. “We have stories written up on backpacks, people can carry a backpack with them, read the story and hear about homelessness stories, and then people get to leave here wearing a shirt that will remind people life change happens here at the Grant County Rescue Mission.”