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As of mid-September we have completed the last of our five disabled veterans’ raft trips. Three were all-female, even the guides. Two of these all female trips were in Desolation Canyon on the Green River, one in Gates of Lodore.
The May Special Operations trip was on epic big water in Cataract Canyon. We had a disabled Ukrainian soldier, Igor, on board. He is not English-literate, so we had an interpreter on board. One of the Navy SEALs on the trip described having him along as “way cool.” Igor’s daughter called back from Ukraine after Igor returned and said her father is “over the moon” regarding his experiences while hosted in the US.
We are attempting to set up email links between our Special Operations veterans and Ukrainian soldiers who are languishing in Ukrainian and Polish hospitals healing from battle wounds and amputations. We know that lifting their spirits will result in faster and better healing.
In next March we will sponsor teams in the Bataan Memorial Death March. Over 5,000 entrants are expected. This march commemorates the 81st anniversary of the Bataan Death March in the Philippines. a 26k march on the White Sands Desert. Last March, our female team won first place in the Team Civilian Female category.
We are now preparing the photo album of this year’s activities and planning and booking next year’s five raft trips.
-Fred Solheim
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