Josh Hauser served in the Marine Corps for 14 years. Now, he works for the Cambria County Department of Veterans Services. He misses the camaraderie of the military and says other veterans do too. That’s why he organized the first-ever Cambria County Hero Hike. 

“Everyone knows in the military we do a lot of hiking. I’ve been out for about two years. I missed it a little bit. I wanted to give folks who may have had family members or just appreciate the troops a little sense of what it is that we go through when we’re in the military,” said Josh Hauser, Director of Veterans Affairs.

On Saturday, May 20th, Armed Forces Day, people will walk, run or bike the 7.2 mile stretch of the Ghost Town Trail from Nanty Glo to Ebensburg, all while sharing stories of their time in the service.

County Commissioner Tom Chernisky said the hike is a small way to say ‘thank you’ to veterans in the area, including his own family. 

“My father was a sergeant in the army. I have a brother, Chris, who went to Virginia Military Institute in Lexington, Virginia. And I really believe everybody, somewhere along the line, has known somebody that has been touched by the military,” Chernisky said.

Hauser hopes the Hero Hike will become an annual event bringing together families and all veterans, no matter their uniform.

“It’s not about the different branches of service so much as it is about service in general. And a lot of folks forget that the folks that are in uniform, their families sort of served too. That’s why I really wanted to incorporate families into this to honor their service as well,” Hauser said.

The Hero Hike will take place on Saturday, May 20th at 9 a.m. in Nanty Glo and will end at the trailhead in Ebensburg, where there will be a ceremony a 12 p.m. to honor veterans and all the sacrifices they’ve made.

The hike is free to attend. However, any donations will go to Veteran Community Initiatives, which provides career services to veterans.