Photo courtesy of 22Mohawks
SANDWICH – A Massachusetts-based organization that aims to prevent suicide among veterans of the armed forces is holding a charity motorcycle ride on Cape Cod on Saturday, May 21.
22Mohawks was founded back in April of 2020 by Dave Campisano, a veteran of the U.S. Army. The organization’s mission is to bring awareness to veteran suicide along with physical, mental, and financial resources to help vets in need.
The number 22 in the group’s name, according to Campisano, is taken from the stat from the Department of Veteran Affairs (VA) indicating that an average of 22 vets take their own lives every day.
“Essentially: the reason it started was because I, personally, lost three military friends all in one month,” Campisano said.
“Suicide’s the real deal.”
Campisano added that the mohawk element of the name refers to the unique hairstyle, as a way to represent standing out and rising up for important values.
The 22-K9 Motorcycle Ride later in May will raise awareness and funding for the Pups for Vets program. 22Mohawks teamed up with Professional Canine Services to pair vets in need with emotional support dogs.
The organization found that it typically takes about three years for a military vet to get associated with a dog through the VA, according to Campisano. In turn, 22Mohawks has worked to get vets lined up with a trained companion.
Director of Operations for 22Mohawks on Cape Cod Michael McGee, a veteran of the Marine Corps, was the first vet to be paired with a dog through the Pups for Vets program.
“As a veteran, sometimes you’ve got to get out of your own way and just allow yourself to be amongst veterans or to receive the help that you might possibly need,” McGee said.
Residents are invited to line up and support riders along the roughly 30 mile route, which runs from Sandwich High School to The Sand Dollar in Dennis. State Representative for the 1st Barnstable District Tim Whelan, a Marine Corps veteran, will be the event’s guest speaker.
Registration for the ride, which is $22 per person, begins at 9 a.m. An after-party will follow.
To learn more, visit 22Mohawks’ website by clicking here.
About Brendan Fitzpatrick
