‘We owe it to those who have served’

To celebrate 15 years of the Truckers for Troops campaign, Land Line Now will look back on how the mission started and where it’s heading.

“We’ve been honored to have been part of this effort and are especially proud of what everyone here at OOIDA has been able to do to help our troops and veterans over the past 15 years,” Land Line Now Host Mark Reddig said. “It’s something we spend a lot of time planning for because we owe it to those who have served to put forward our best effort.”

Reddig said this year’s campaign, which will be broadcast on Land Line Now the week of Veterans Day, starting Monday, Nov. 8, will focus on the Veterans Community Project, a Kansas City, Mo.-based nonprofit that builds tiny homes for veterans.

The campaign will be broadcast each day at 7 p.m. Eastern during Land Line Now on The Road Dog, Channel 146 on Sirius XM.

During Truckers for Troops, truckers can join OOIDA for a discounted rate of $35 with 10% of that going into the fund and OOIDA matching that money. Truckers also can make direct donations to the fund.

OOIDA members, more than one-third of which are military veterans, have raised about $700,000 in support of the armed services since Truckers for Troops began.

The 2020 Truckers for Troops campaign generated $29,145

In addition to a monetary contribution, OOIDA employees also donated a truckload of housewares to support active military personnel and veterans.

“I’m always amazed at how truckers come through for this effort, but this year I’m especially proud,” Reddig said. “Truckers always seem to come through the most when things are at their worst. And as always, the most important part is that we’re able to help so many of our troops and veterans during such a difficult time.”

Truckers for Troops began in 2007 as a way to send care packages to service members overseas and veterans’ facilities in the United States.

Now with fewer soldiers stationed in harm’s way, Truckers for Troops is using funds to help the Veterans Community Project in addition to sending care packages.

The project helps provide housing for homeless veterans through a community of “tiny houses.”

Last year, OOIDA President Todd Spencer and Lewie Pugh, OOIDA executive vice president, visited the Veterans Community Project’s Outreach Center in Kansas City, Mo., to deliver a $24,520 check.

“People have really stepped up and responded in Kansas City and gotten behind us,” Chris Admire, executive director of the Veterans Community Project, told Land Line at the time. “In tough times you never know how companies, organizations and the community are going to respond. It’s usually really tough on nonprofits, but it’s actually been quite the opposite. We anticipated several months ago that there was going to be a growing need, and this is going to go a long way in helping with preventing veteran homelessness or helping to find veterans a permanent housing solution.”

Admire also said the Veterans Community Project is focused on providing other forms of help to veterans in need.

“Whatever the problem, we just look to solve it,” he said. “Whether it be putting an access ramp on somebody’s house, finding a pet, or getting them benefits.”

While the focus of the program has shifted from delivering care packages to financial assistance, the goal remains the same. OOIDA members have raised about $700,000 in support of the armed services since Truckers for Troops began. LL

Staff Writer SJ Munoz contributed to this report.