Jeepin’4Vets ride raises $4K for Easterseals NH campus in Franklin

A patriotic caravan of about 55 Jeeps journeyed from Franklin to Ossipee the  morning of Aug. 19, raising money and awareness for New Hampshire’s veterans.

The sixth annual Jeepin’4Vets event raised $4,100 for Easterseals New Hampshire, a nonprofit that provides services to seniors, people with disabilities and veterans. The fundraiser benefits the Easterseals NH program Veterans Count, dedicated to supporting Granite State service members, veterans and their families with financial assistance and other services.

The event began in Franklin, where a few dozen Jeeps gathered at the future site of the Easterseals NH Military and Veterans Campus. Expected to break ground in September, the campus will be a state-of-the-art hub for veterans. It will provide affordable housing, therapeutic recreation, a retreat center and a variety of other services. According to Michele Talwani, senior vice president of community relations for Easterseals NH, the Jeepin’4Vets event was a great opportunity to showcase the 15-acre campus and to pay respect to the military community.

“There’s an automatic sense of community among those who drive Jeeps. So, to tie that camaraderie together with a way to honor and respect the military and veteran community is a win-win,” Talwani said.

Following check-in, participants gathered in the center of the campus. Eddie Edwards, a U.S. Navy veteran, board member of Easterseals NH and the Jeepin’4Vets event chair, delivered a welcome about the importance of Veterans Count. Veterans deal with a host of problems while fighting for our freedom, he said, and Veterans Count does everything it can to help care for these men and women who have sacrificed so much. Since its founding in 2007, Veterans Count has helped thousands of service members by distributing about $5.5 million in emergency financial assistance.

“Jeepin’4Vets is a tribute to those who have served and to those who are currently serving,” Edwards said in an interview. “There’s no better place than New Hampshire to show your appreciation for veterans.”

Edwards also thanked law enforcement partners. Officers from New Hampshire State Police and the Franklin and Tilton police departments escorted the Jeep caravan and ensured the safety of everyone on the road.

“You’ll find that a lot of people in law enforcement are former veterans themselves,” Edwards said.

After listening to a rendition of "The Star-Spangled Banner," drivers lined up their Jeeps and set off to the New Hampshire Veterans Cemetery in Boscawen.

At the NH Veterans Cemetery, the participants gathered and shared a moment of silence for the heroes buried there. Jeff Chidester, a U.S. Army veteran and board member of Veterans Count, spoke about how veterans’ cemeteries are the most hallowed ground in the United States. Everyone buried in NH Veterans Cemetery has earned their place, he said.

Honoring these veterans is an important purpose of Jeepin’4Vets. Jeeps began as military vehicles, Chidester said in an interview, and are symbolic for veterans.

“People who attach themselves to these vehicles are attaching themselves to a larger mission,” he said.

Advancing that larger mission is a key goal of Veterans Count

“Veterans Count extends beyond just the veteran. We look at the people who are left here and trying to keep the homefront going,” Chidester said. “Unlike a lot of other organizations, Veterans Count is the absolute opposite of red tape.”

Following the NH Veterans Cemetery, the Jeep caravan continued to the New Hampshire Veterans Home in Tilton. Drivers circled the home and waved to the many veterans greeting them upon their arrival.

After seeing how much the residents of the veterans home loved the event last year, many of the event’s participants asked if they could return this year. It’s a special moment, Chidester said.

“For a brief moment, those veterans know that people in this country care about them,” he said.

The final leg of the journey took the Jeepers from Tilton to Harley Jack’s Burgers & Brews in Ossipee. After lunch, participants had the opportunity to explore Armor Ditch, an overlanding terrain park with 75 acres of trails. Veterans Count also hosted a raffle, scavenger hunt, and best-dressed Jeep contest.