Knights of Columbus
support National Veterans Family Center
To the editor:
The Maine State Council of the Knights of Columbus is pleased to announce that they will help make the dream of SSG Travis Mills come true. On July 20-21 Knights from throughout the state of Maine will convene on the National Veterans Family Center in Belgrade to begin a weekend of projects to make the center ready for disabled veterans in August.
Saturday July 20 will be a day of projects to include handicap ramps and following an overnight stay at the facility Knights will awake to a sunrise mass onsite and complete remaining projects on Sunday, July 21. Participants will leave with a commemorative T-shirt and the satisfaction of knowing that they have made a difference and provided a place for healing to our young heroes and their families.
On April 10, 2012, U.S. Army Staff Sergeant Travis Mills of the 82nd Airborne, on his third tour of duty in Afghanistan, fell victim to an IED explosion. Four days later, on his 25th birthday, he awoke in a hospital to discover the blast had torn through his frame taking with it portions of both legs and both arms.
He is only the fourth quadruple amputee, from the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, to survive his injuries.
Thanks to his amazing strength, courage, an incredible will to live, the heroic actions of the men in his unit, the prayers of thousands, and the love of his wife Kelsey and 1-year-old daughter, Chloe, Travis is well on the road to recovery and consistently astounds friends and family alike with his progress and amazing spirit.
Travis’ dream is to provide a camp in Maine as a recreation center for disabled veterans and their families at no cost to the veterans. Here they will unite with the land, the water, nature, and each other; be united, enriched and inspired; and learn they can still enjoy the activities that revitalize the courage and the confidence to keep moving forward.
Information on the event is available at at www.maineknights.org or by contacting me at (207) 951-2874. More information on the National Veterans Family Center is available at http://www.veteransfamilycamp.com/ or http://www.mainebreadoflife.net/ or by contacting Deacon Dean Lachance at (207) 626-3434.
Duane Belanger
Fort Kent
