OK – I can hear you now. Why in the world would I put fake bullet holes all over this trailer…. It looked fine without them.

I did this so that there is no doubt why we are doing what we do.

TRR’s legacy was born under fire. Our first paddlers were patients at Walter Reed Medical Center who had given their bodies over as a sacrifice to this Nation. They’d given nearly all they had in service to this nation. And yet, they persisted – they kept going.

Our paddlers, volunteers, family members, and those whom we serve through in our communities have all given something. We’ve all been through the fire at some time or another. Some of us were under enemy fire, others honed by military accidents or illness. Those who serve our vets have seen pain in their own lives; giving back to our vets helps them heal. Our vets give back to their communities as a means to heal as well.

These bullet holes represent all our pain and suffering, Veteran and non-Veteran alike. But the bright graphics on the trailer shows the promise that healing brings.

And, this trailer is not destroyed – rather, you will see it in motion, or see it at a put-in, or see it surrounded by laughing kayakers recounting the day’s trip.

This trailer hauls more than gear. It carries a team of people around the region who are in the process of healing. They have triumphed over the pain and injuries.

Butts in Boats, Baby!