Local Man Walks for the VFW

Deer Park resident Robert Whaley plans to set off on foot for Washington, D.C., on Sept. 11, to raise money for a new Veterans Memorial. Whaley said in addition to raising money, he wants to raise community awareness about his plans to install a veterans memorial next to the Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) hall. “We’re going to make change with no money,” he said. Whaley is not a veteran, but his wife, Brittany Whaley, served in the U.S. Air Force for four years and did a tour in Afghanistan. Whaley said he was inspired to do this partly because of an experience he and his family had in visiting the city’s existing veteran’s memorial, which is located on a small, triangle-shaped piece of land just south of where the railroad tracks cross Main Avenue.

There is no parking and Whaley said that when they parked just south of the memorial, they were told it was railroad property and not available for parking. That means anyone trying to visit the memorial needs to park down the road and walk, which isn’t necessarily an option for some veterans, Whaley said. There used to be a sign that listed the names of all the local veterans who had passed away, Whaley said, but it was taken down and replaced with a generic sign that shows a Revolutionary War era drummer and the text of the Declaration of Independence.

“It’s really outdated and it’s moldy and everything,” he said. Whaley said he ap- proached the city about adding parking, but was told it wasn’t possible. He also asked about moving the memorial to a vacant lot near the VFW but was told the city needs the space to put snow from the streets in winter. The city also doesn’t have the money to make changes or improvements to the memorial, he said. “It’s not in their plans or their budget,” he said. Whaley said the VFW has agreed to put a veteran’s memorial on a section of their lot that is not in use. He got the idea to do a walk to raise money, but walking across the country is not a simple task for Whaley. He’s had multiple back surger- ies and neck surgery, suffered a stroke, and was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis six years ago. Whaley said he’s been walking around the Deer Park, Clayton, and Loon Lake areas every day while carrying an American flag to prepare for his walk.

It’s already helped him become healthier, he said. “Every day I’m out and about,” he said. “I’ve been walking for three months. This is just a blessing in disguise.” So far Knights Construction has donated a van for the trip, and the vice commander of the American Legion has agreed to drive it and be Whaley’s support vehicle. Metal Rollforming Systems has also donated clothing and gas cards. Whaley said he’s also used a chunk of his savings to pay for supplies. “This is for a good cause,” he said. “This comes once in a lifetime.” Whaley estimates the trip will take him 120 days if he can walk 20 miles a day, but added it will probably take closer to 140 days.

He plans to leave Deer Park at 8 a.m. on Sept. 11 from the VFW parking lot, with a fire department and Spokane County Sheriff’s Office escort to Highway 395. Whaley said he’s look- ing forward to the walk, but he’s also looking forward to building a new memorial for veterans. “It’s just been kind of a journey,” he said. “I don’t have the money to build it myself.” Whaley said doing the walk and building a new memorial are the least he can do for those who have served, many of whom made sacrifices to do so and served in war zones. “Me, I’m just go- ing on a walk,” he said.