Marine reservist and sophomore Christian Jamieson raised over $1,000 on Friday while carrying a 100-pound backpack on a 12-mile trek across campus that lasted seven hours.
The money was raised for PureKraze, a local nonprofit that is building Veterans Village, a shelter for homeless veterans in Vancouver. Almost 90 percent of the money raised came from passerby on Clark’s campus.
Jamieson, a lance corporal, was joined by 17 participants who walked a total of 93 laps. By 12:30 p.m., Jamieson said he had about ten sponsors per mile.
“I’ve had a lot of support,” Jamieson said. “At one point we had a dozen people walking together.”
President of PureKraze Michael Stacey set up a stand near Cannell Library, where he and RaeLynn Reeder, the president of Clark’s Veterans Club, handed out flyers and accepted donations for Veterans Village.
PureKraze purchased property on St. James Road and plans to start building the village in November. In late summer, the nonprofit plans to hold a groundbreaking ceremony at the building site, in which the Native American Veterans Association will bless the land. Vancouver Mayor Tim Leavitt is likely to attend, as well as the Patriot Guard Riders and other veteran organizations.
