WICHITA FALLS ( KFDX/KJTL ) — Several people in Wichita Falls participated in a mass display of empathy to end veteran homelessness.

Base Camp Lindsey , a non-profit organization in Wichita Falls, held its “Give a Ruck” fundraiser Saturday morning at City View High School to fight veteran homelessness.

More than 160 people registered for the event and had a choice to march either the 10-mile course, the 5-mile course, or the 1-mile course with a full backpack.

At the end of the race, the contents of each person’s pack were emptied and sorted to donate to homeless veterans in the area. The supplies ranged from basic toiletries like toothbrushes and toothpaste to food or clothing.

Board President Chris De La Garza considers the missions of B.C.L. and “Give a Ruck” personal.

“My dad served in Vietnam; he did two tours. My granddad served in World War II in Europe. I’ve seen the struggles they had when they came back. The memories that they didn’t want to talk about. And my dad was actually one of those homeless veterans for several years,” De La Garza said. “I lost my dad in 2005. I couldn’t save him, but this is… we’re going to do something. We’re not going to just turn a blind eye. We’re going to take care of our vets.”

Base Camp Lindsey’s ultimate goal is to build a halfway house for homeless veterans who are trying to get back on their feet. In addition to this event, Base Camp Lindsey is planning to host a 7-on-7 football tournament fundraiser.

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