Dustin Sherman carrying a box full of canned goods ready to be donated. (Camilo Fredes/Cortland Voice).
CORTLAND, N.Y. — The JTM Ruck Club is organizing a canned food drive for which all donations will go toward Catholic Charities of Cortland County.
Rucking can be loosely defined as moving briskly with a backpack on a hike over rugged terrain to complete an objective. It's all about getting from Point A to Point B.
Based in Central New York, the JTM Ruck Club meets on a weekly basis in Cortland County. The club is actively adding drop off locations around the area for its non-perishable food drive, where people in the community are able to donate canned goods and distribute them into bins located at certain drop off locations.
The final ruck pick up event will take place Saturday, July 27, from 3-8 p.m.
Drop off locations include:
- Hartleys Auto and RV
- Night Owls
- East side bakery
- Bill brothers farm market
- Cortland Christian assembly of God
- Sherman wholesale tire
- Bru64
- Brix Pubaria
- Cortland fitness center
- Cortland beer company
- Red jug pub
- St. Charles
- Local food and health market
- Paddy's pub
- Spiedini's pizza
- The point wine and spirits in Whitney point
- The Whitney Point wellness center
"We have gotten so many donations and a ton of food from people dropping them off at these locations, JTM Ruck Club administrator Dustin Sherman said.
But how will people move all of the food donations to their final destination?
"We'll carry them," said Sherman. "We can do it with backpacks, bags, wagons and anything else that comes to mind. We will start at Hartley's and move from there. It will be a 3-5 mile walk, with 14 stops along the way."
The club has been active for the past six months, according to Sherman.
"I first got involved from an organization called 'GoRuck,'" said Sherman. "We started training together locally in order to prepare for these bigger events. Now we are an actual Ruck Club through the GoRuck company."
