![A Midwest Veteran is Walking 100 Miles for His 100th Birthday](http://townsquare.media/site/675/files/2016/09/Man-Walking-Kevinron2001-Thinkstock.jpg?w=980&q=75)
A Midwest Veteran is Walking 100 Miles for His 100th Birthday
Here's some good news for your Monday!
A new article from MSN tells the story of Mickey Nelson, a 99-year-old World War II veteran from Clarks Grove, Minnesota. Mickey is turning 100-years-old on June 27th, and he's doing something big to commemorate the milestone. He has started a new initiative called "Walking to 100."
Mickey is walking 100 miles, not only to celebrate his birthday, but to raise money for a great cause. All the proceeds are benefiting the Salvation Army's food and emergency programs. According to the article from MSN, Mickey was inspired to do his walk by another veteran named Tom Moore. He raised over $37.4 million by walking laps around his garden. CNN reports that all the money Tom Moore raised was donated to the UK's National Health Service, and because of the gesture, he was promoted to honorary Colonel. He turned 100-years-old back in late April.
Mickey has reportedly already raised around $42,000 since he started walking back in May. He realizes that there is a serious need for food for a lot of people right now because of the coronavirus pandemic. He told CNN:
"During the years of the depression, they had soup lines and other ways for people to get food and that stood out to me because I've been lucky to always have food on the table. When everything happened, that is what I thought of: there are people going hungry and I can do something about it."
We are so proud to have someone like Mickey to represent the Midwest and we wish him a happy early birthday! You can read more about his story HERE.
LOOK: Iowa's 12 Smallest Towns That You Could Blink and Miss
More From Rockford's New Country Q98.5
![Illinois Rest Stop Posts Mask Sign No One Should Need To See](http://townsquare.media/site/723/files/2022/05/attachment-masksign2.jpg?w=980&q=75)
![Carrie Underwood Forced to Cancel ‘American Idol’ Finale Performance Due to COVID-19 Exposure](http://townsquare.media/site/204/files/2022/05/attachment-GettyImages-1395201095.jpg?w=980&q=75)
![Off-The-Beaten Path Illinois Park Named One of America’s Best Spots for a Walk](http://townsquare.media/site/721/files/2022/05/attachment-Untitled-design-89.jpg?w=980&q=75)
![This Crossing Guard Is Bringing Joy to Illinois Roads One Dance Move At a Time](http://townsquare.media/site/723/files/2018/05/483960569.jpg?w=980&q=75)
![Illinois Pandemic Life: One Thing I Wish Wouldn’t Go Back to Normal](http://townsquare.media/site/721/files/2022/03/attachment-Untitled-design-241.jpg?w=980&q=75)
![Illinois Police Chief Shares Alarming COVID-19 Experience](http://townsquare.media/site/723/files/2022/01/attachment-Carla-Redd-feat.jpg?w=980&q=75)
![Chris Lane Tests Positive for the Omicron COVID-19 Variant](http://townsquare.media/site/204/files/2021/12/attachment-ChrisLane-1.jpg?w=980&q=75)
![Illinois School To Students: “No Outside Gathering” Over Holidays](http://townsquare.media/site/671/files/2021/12/attachment-gettyimages-556417487-170667a.jpg?w=980&q=75)
![How Is The Omicron COVID-19 Variant Affecting The Rockford Area](http://townsquare.media/site/671/files/2021/08/attachment-gettyimages-1281306084-170667a.jpg?w=980&q=75)