Middletown brothers to walk 3,000+ miles for restaurant workers

Two New Jersey brothers are planning to walk from Asbury Park to the Redwood National Forest in California to raise money, and awareness, for the plight of American restaurant workers who’ve been affected by the global pandemic.

The brothers, Aiden and Louis Ardine, both of whom are Rutgers’ graduates, were working as bartenders in Asbury Park when the pandemic hit, according to the Asbury Park Press.

They moved back home, jobless, and started to formulate a plan; both are avid hikers and campers, so they decided to make the cross country trek. They found an organization to partner with, the Restaurant Workers’ Community Foundation, and made their plan to walk the roughly 3,100 miles from the beach in Asbury Park all the way to California, to support the industry that had supported them.

Aiden told CBS 2 New York that they will be “trying to hit big cities with a culinary scene. We’re going to interview restaurant workers and small business owners across the country, to share their stories with the rest of America so they can a bit of insight into what this year has been like for us.” It’s estimated that the journey will take five months to complete, with the brothers camping along the way; they hope to raise $30,000.

The brothers are hoping to create a movement are still looking for partners to help them reach their goal. To follow their progress or to donate, go here. You can also follow them on Twitter and Instagram.

The post above reflects the thoughts and observations of New Jersey 101.5 talk show host Bill Doyle. Any opinions expressed are Bill Doyle's own.