Sgt. Rob Nederlof and his wife Marina Nederlof have set their sights on a 1,000 kilometre cycling tour. The goal for the “Prairie Thousand” 2021 biking tour is to cycle from Wawanesa, Manitoba to Lethbridge, Alberta to raise money for the Wounded Warriors Canada (WWC) Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) service dog program.
Rob says he has a passion for cycling and recognized this could be the best way for him to help. Spreading the message that there is mental health support and taking that message across the prairies is something he felt he could do. He researched various support groups and decided WWC was the best fit for his goal.
The Wounded Warriors Canada PTSD service dog program aids in the ongoing care of veterans and first responders who suffer from PTSD, as well as other mental health issues. For someone with PTSD, these dogs can be the difference between life or death.
The website www.woundedwarriors.ca connects these highly trained dogs with those who need them the most. A service dog becomes their friend, confident, social worker and therapist by learning body language, mood, stress triggers and more. The love of these dogs are an ever watchful lifeline to their dispirited partners.
Rob has served three tours of duty and has himself witnessed how PTSD can affect someone after a traumatic event. He wants to contribute to the healing of these men and women.
The cost of raising and training a service dog is around $15,000 each. Rob and Marina’s goal is to raise $5,000 in donations through the Wounded Warriors Canada website in hopes of helping someone receiving a life-changing service dog. Donations can be made directly online.
Rob has commemorated the trip with a permanent tattoo. The “Prairie Thousand'' tour starts on August 11th with planned stops in several communities along the way, including Moose Jaw. The Nederlofs are asking you to come out and show your support. They would love to share their story and talk about the Wounded Warriors Canada service dog program with you.
Follow them on Facebook to keep up-to-date with their tour dates as they trek across the prairies at: https://www.facebook.com/PrairieThousand.
Come out and share your support. Be sure to keep an eye out for Marina’s Wounded Warriors flag and help support these cycle warriors on their 2021 Prairie Thousand Tour!
