Ride Across Canada and safeguard our veterans
The Ride Across Canada introduces the faces and stories of over 700 veterans from Victoria to St. John’s, Newfoundland.
Since the beginning of April, Paul Nichols and his entourage have ridden through Canada to bring recognition to Canadian veterans, and awareness of the issues they face on a daily basis. On September 1st, they arrived at the Black Tai Ranch in L’Orignal for a rest, and a few parties.
The 211 day ride was launched on April 13 from Victoria BC, and is expected to end in St. John’s Newfoundland in just over two months. The ride isn’t meant to be about any one veteran, but about all of the veterans that have served our country, and the daily challenges they face. “So far on this ride I have had 240 veterans ride along with us,” said Nichols. “But I have spoken to thousands of vets and tens of thousands of Canadians.”
Champlain Mayor Gary Barton was on hand along with council member Jacques Lacelle to offer Paul a plaque and a small donation for his efforts. MP Pierre Lemieux was also at the ranch to welcome the riders and say a warm thank you. Veterans from the Hawkesbury Legion Branch 472 stood at attention and saluted Paul and Terry Nichols as they arrived.
The idea behind the ride is to tighten bonds between communities and veterans. Nichols came up with the idea to do this ride through a culmination of his own military experiences. “Returning to a community that doesn’t recognize a young man as a veteran is difficult,” said Nichols. “When I
came home from the Balkans is when the war started for me.”
Troops are deployed differently than they were a couple of generations ago. A military unit used to draw its members from its home town or region. The boys went off to war together, brothers and cousins and neighbours shared common experiences and then returned home together. Soldiers are now deployed from large central bases and troops scatter in ones and twos to home towns all over the country when they return.
“We all know of a neighbour’s kid or a school friend that went off to serve his country,” explained Nichols. “When you see him on the street, take a second, say hello and smile. Give his kids a fist bump and ask his wife how she is doing.”
Nichols wants to bring awareness to veterans who suffer from Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) that end in results such as suicide and family breakups. Several news reports have suggested there have been more military deaths due to suicide than there was in Afghanistan. The National Defence and Canadian Armed Forces have stated close to 300,000 soldiers have died by suicide between 2010 and 2014.
“We as soldiers have a code that says we look after our own,” said Nichols. “So many of our Canadian veterans become invisible
when they clear out of the military and some struggle to transition to civilian life. Canada loves its military. A timely thank you from a neighbour can change a life and we think it can be better than all the therapy in the world after a veteran has already lost his way. Help us to raise awareness to this real issue and help us to bring communities together. Come out and ride for the ones that can’t. We will supply lessons and horses.”
Upon completion of The Ride, the rider stories will be brought to the public through the publication of a book. “Join us in telling the stories of our contemporary veterans and give our country a look at who our veterans really are.”
Several events will be taking place while Nichols and his crew are in town. On September 3 there will be a BBQ from 4:30 p.m. to 7 p.m. and live music from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. at the Black Tai Ranch at 821 County Road 17 in L’Orignal. The ranch will hold live music with Frankie James on September 4 from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. On September 5 Lucar Farms and Two Minds – One Ride Horsemanship will host a BBQ from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. at 2058 Landry Street in Clarence Creek.
More information about the ride can be found at http://communitiesforveterans.ca/.