Ruben and Sterre are young and enjoy life, but they don’t lose sight of each other. Together with a group of students, the two young people walked 200 kilometers from Zeeland to Brabant. A walking tour to raise money for veterans who struggle with bad memories from their military past (PTSD). As a thank you, they will receive the White Carnation Award from the National Veterans Day Committee on Wednesday.
Sterre van den Boogaard (20) from Mierlo-Hout and Ruben Lindenhovius (19) from Eindhoven came up with the march ‘Boots on the Ground’ together. A walking tour of 200 kilometers from Nieuwdorp in Zeeland to Eindhoven. A sporting challenge, but mainly intended to draw attention to former soldiers with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTTS).
These are veterans who have experienced something scary or shocking in the past and cannot process it properly. The bad memories continue to haunt and torment these soldiers. From nightmares to a disrupted life, an existence that is not always recognized by the outside world.
“The veterans’ stories made a big impression on us.”
“Last year we were present at a meeting for veterans. There, former soldiers spoke about their experiences and the difficulty of processing the memories. Those speeches made a great impression on us,” says Sterre. It motivated her and Ruben to draw attention to PTSD among veterans and to raise money for Veterans Activity Support Foundation.
The two went through all classes of their education VeVa at Summa College. Did anyone want to join their march? They knew that. “There were a lot of registrations. Everyone responded very enthusiastically. Unfortunately, we could only admit a limited number of participants, so we made a selection,” Sterre looks back.
“I’m proud of those guys.”
The weekly walking training afterwards led to a second selection. In the end, 23 top-fit go-getters remained. The students walked Boots on the Ground from 6 to 10 March. Sterre, an avid walker himself: “The spring was wet and cold. Everyone had blisters. Yet the whole group completed the journey. I am proud of those boys.”
The four-day marches of almost 50 kilometers were prepared with military precision. Along the way, the group slept in different locations. Perhaps the most special was the last night in the veterans shelter. “We spoke to veterans there and you understand who you are doing it for,” says Sterre.
“I’m going to apply for a job at Airmobile.”
The march that raised 2400 euros is not yet a tradition, but the seed has been planted. Preparations for the next march in 2024 have already started. Other students are taking over from Ruben and Sterre. She herself hopes to complete her studies in December. “And then I will apply for a job with the airmobile brigade. I would like to start in March or April next year”, it sounds firm.
About the White Carnation Price
Every year, the National Veterans Day Committee (NCV) awards the White Carnation Price to people and organizations that play a special role in the lives of veterans. This year, the NCV received almost 150 nominations from municipalities, organizations and individual contributors.
