Wheelin' vets

Published Sep 19, 2012 at 4:20 pm (Updated Sep 19, 2012)

Photos

There were 48 Jeeps at this year's event.
Photos by Donald Webb The day featured two trails, labeled moderate and difficult.
The North Jersey Jeep Club teamed up with Wheelers for the Wounded for a day of fun-filled four-wheeling.

HAMBURG — This past weekend, on a 260-acre piece of private property in Hamburg, Wheelers for the Wounded took more than 40 veterans out on an off-road adventure.
Wheelers for the Wounded is a nation wide group that provides off-roading for the country’s wounded military members. This multi-state program was conceived by Jason Havlik of Texas, a Gulf War veteran.
The North Jersey Jeep Club adopted this program to help wounded vets have a day of relaxation.
John Parrinello is New Jersey’s Chapter President, “We have had this program in NJ now for four years and every year it gets better and better.”
There were 48 Jeeps that helped with this years events at the Hamburg event.
The group ran this program for the first two years in the Ringwood State Park and last year moved it to a private land in Blairstown.
“I love helping out these men and women, they gave so much, we will never be able to repay that debt to them, but at least groups like ours can take steps to show people do care about them,” said Stu Feldmen of West Milford, committee member of the NJ Chapter of Wheelers for the Wounded and also the VP of Chamber of Commerce in West Milford.
Chris Barnes of Wantage was one of the many leaders on the Steep Rocky Hill trails and was the lead on the moderate trail.
“I love four-wheeling," said Barnes. "I belong to the North Jersey Jeep Club and helping out the vets and four-wheeling at the same time, does it get any better than that?”
For information or to volunteer with the Wheelers for the Wounded, visit wftwnj.wordpress.com.