Active Heroes hikers: In Portsmouth Ayotte meets with pair on cross-country journey for veterans

PORTSMOUTH - Sen. Kelly Ayotte threw her support behind the cross-country journey of a U.S. Army veteran and his hiking companion Wednesday during an appearance in Portsmouth.

William Mosebach and Kristen Creech, walkers volunteering on behalf of the nonprofit group Active Heroes, met with Ayotte at Prescott Park Wednesday morning.

The pair are walking from Maine to West Palm Beach, Fla., a journey of more than 2,500 miles expected to last more than six months, in support of military families.

Mosebach and Creech started their journey in Calais, Maine, on Sept. 8. They crossed from the Maine border into New Hampshire via the Route 1 bridge this week on their way south toward Shrewsbury, Mass.

Their journey will take them south using the East Coast Greenway, a developing trail system that will eventually span nearly 3,000 miles between Canada and Key West. According to a website devoted to the project, about 25 percent of the route is already on traffic-free paths.

Mosebach served four years in the U.S. Army as an airborne medic attached to an infantry battalion in Vicenza, Italy, according to information provided by Active Heroes. He was deployed to northern Iraq and served there for one year.

He will walk in an effort to raise awareness for the work of Active Heroes, a national charity. The group aims to strengthen military families and assist veterans and active duty members of the military by providing financial assistance and job placement, according to information provided by Ayotte's office.

"Anybody can step up and help, whether it be a 2,500-mile hike or a simple donation," he said.

Active Heroes provides help in a variety of forms, such as financial assistance with mortgages, car payments and utility bills. The group also provides special assistance to military children, with a focus on those whose family members have been killed in the line of duty. Other services the group provides include travel assistance for military families and job referrals for unemployed veterans.

Ayotte said a veterans group in New Hampshire contacted her office to let her know about their journey through the state.

"It sounded great, and so I wanted to be able to meet you two," Ayotte said to the two walkers. "I was impressed. Hopefully we can draw some attention to what you're doing and get people to donate and get involved. That's the goal here."