Army veteran's cross-country walk raising money for therapy organization

Apr 06, 2012 (Los Banos Enterprise - McClatchy-Tribune Information Services via COMTEX) -- Eighteen veterans a day turn to suicide as a way out, according to the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs.

"We know the number is much higher than that," said retired Army Sgt. Justin Bond. "A lot of these guys come home, they can't do what they used to and they get (depressed)." Bond, 35, is a veteran of the Iraq war who was injured in an ambush in 2004. He now gets around using a prosthetic leg, and for three months has helped other veterans at Healing Safari in Monterey. The facility provides a type of therapy for veterans through interactions with elephants, monkeys, kangaroos, reptiles and other animals. Healing Safari also allows veterans to share experiences with one another and provides access to resources helping them cope with financial and emotional issues.

Healing Safari has been open three months and has helped 48 veterans, according to Bond.

He and retired Army Spc. Jason Day are on their sixth day of a 60-day trip from Monterey to Jacksonville, Fla., on Segways to raise awareness of, and money for, Healing Safari.

Bond and Day are hosting media events and asking people to donate a penny for every mile of their trip, totaling $30 per donation.

"We want to raise $186,000," Bond said. "That would keep Safari Healing open for a year." The pair spent Monday in Los Banos.

In a telephone interview, Bond said he and Day were able to raise $5,000 in Lemoore on Wednesday. He said so far everyone has been friendly.

"It's been overwhelming, people have been stopping us, giving us $20 bills," Bond said. "We are an all-volunteer organization and the vets need a lot of help." To donate to Healing Safari through Segway Ride Across America, visit www.ourheroesdreams.org.

___ (c)2012 the Los Banos Enterprise (Los Banos, Calif.) Visit the Los Banos Enterprise (Los Banos, Calif.) at www.losbanosenterprise.com Distributed by MCT Information Services

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