Rally Point Retreat opens its doors
Work done at retreat made possible with help from volunteers, Johan Grundy says
There was no shortage of visitors to Rally Point Retreat in Sable River during an open house on Sept. 29.
The brotherhood from at least three veterans’ motorcycle clubs made the trek to the non-profit haven for veterans and first responders suffering with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), where they were joined by local residents and community support givers.
“We had close to 85, 90 people,” said Johan Grundy, who, with her husband Bob, runs Rally Point Retreat from their home. “There were lots of positive comments. Quite a few people are happy that we’re here and the people who were here before saw the changes that have been happening inside.”
She said the work that has been done would not have been possible without volunteers helping them out. “The library is completed in huge part to some gentlemen from the Clementsport Legion in the valley,” she said. “We’re very fortunate. Very thankful.”
Rally Point Retreat is the latest recipient of a donation by the 100+ Women Who Care of Shelburne County. The $9,700 donation is going to be put to good use in helping to continue building the Rally Point Retreat vision.
“We’ve been in discussions with the 143rd Engineering Squadron to look at getting the trails and roadways
put in on the 202 acres that is Rally Point Retreat property,” said Grundy. “Some of that money is going to building the roadways and trails. They’ll provide the labour. We provide the materials. That’s going to get us well on our way to getting the cabins built for homeless vets and first responders.”
To further assist with the project, Bob Grundy (left) greets a visitor at the Rally Point Retreat open house on Sept. 29.
a bandsaw mill donated by Military Minds Inc. to Rally Point Retreat in July will be put to use milling lumber from fallen tress on the property to
building tiny homes and cabins to house veterans. The mill was demonstrated during the open house, with a fallen tree milled into a 4x4.
“It was great to see from start to finish,” said Grundy, noting the leftovers will become firewood so there’s zero waste.
Grundy said people “are starting to pay attention” to the work being done and the help being offered at Rally Point Retreat and that’s great.
“In the first-responder world they don’t have the support that the military and the RCMP have even though the military and RCMP support has been great when folks get diagnosed and have to leave work, but the first responders, municipal police, paramedics, the 911 operators, they have nothing in the way of support when they have to leave work, so we definitely have to step up to help them and find ways to get them on an even keel and in a better situation,” she said. “Part of that is the tiny homes and cabins so they have somewhere to go.”