Several days ago, I received a request from two women who plan to walk from Chicago to New York, mostly on US Route 6, to raise awareness for the Wounded Warrior Project, a program that seeks to restore dignity to our country's wounded war vets.
These women, Violet Khamoo and Juliana Taimoorazy, wanted me to let those Route 6 communities know that they will be walking through from July 15 to September 11th, collecting funds for the project. Should you choose to give, please do so through their donation portal, https://support.woundedwarriorproject.org/individual-fundraising/ourwalkforourheroes/.
Here is their story;
My name is Violet Khamoo and I was born in the land between two rivers, Tigris and Euphrates, today’s Iraq. I am an Assyrian woman who made America my home 32 years ago. I have been an activist for the Assyrian cause for decades and now, I have decided to undertake this mission because of my love for the United States and my profound respect for the American Military. I am taking time off from my job and leaving my family behind to walk 793 miles on behalf of those wounded warriors who are unable to take this journey. I hope with this walk, I will encourage and inspire men and women who have suffered greatly defending our freedom.
My name is Juliana Taimoorazy and I was born an Assyrian Christian in Iran. Due to religious persecution, I was smuggled out of the country at the tender age of 16. I joyfully remember the day my plane landed at JFK airport, and I am profoundly grateful to call myself an American Citizen. Throughout the years, I have worked tirelessly to help those persecuted Assyrian (also known as Chaldean and Syriac) men and women who have suffered for their Christian faith across the Middle East. By leaving my loved ones behind and accomplishing this mission, I hope to communicate my immense gratitude to men and women who have sacrificed themselves for our liberty.
We will start our walk from the Chicagoland area on July 15 and will continue until we reach ground zero on September 11. This 793 mile journey will enable the two of us to connect with Americans along the route and make presentations to raise awareness and funds for the Wounded Warrior Project.
