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Active Duty Members Golf Cart Cross-County to Raise Awareness

They are carting for a cause, active duty coast guard members driving across the country to raise awareness for veterans and injured soldiers. They made a stop ...

They are carting for a cause, active duty coast guard members driving across the country to raise awareness for veterans and injured soldiers. They made a stop here in the Quad Cities.

Chief Electrician Ray Rehberg of the United States Coast Guard was teaching a class when the idea hit him.

“I talked to my ship mates and said hey, has anyone ever driven across the country in a golf cart?”

That is where the journey began and now a year later, Ray and his shipmates have loaded up a golf cart and are traveling coast to coast.

The 28 day trip from California to their hometown of Yorktown, Virginia is to raise money and awareness for veterans and The Wounded Warrior Project.

Along the way, the group will stop at various V.A. hospitals and VFW's including this one in Davenport.

“It’s an honor,” local veteran   “It isn’t everyday you get to meet somebody that is willing to do what they are doing and I just want to thank them for what they are doing for the boys.”

Rehberg

“Our goal was to support the veterans and it seems like the roles are reversed, they are taking care of us on the road,” Rehberg says.

The golf cart has a top speed of 25 miles per hour and the guardsmen are using their own vacation time but they say it’s worth every minute.

“To actually sit down with them and talk to them, it’s very humbling.”  Rehberg says, “there is a reason why they are called our greatest generation.”

The guardsmen say it’s been a life changing experience.   Rehberg says they set out to raise awareness but have found much more.

“I tell a lot of people America is still alive, you just have to find it.  It’s in the small towns, it’s in the veterans.”

The group hopes to raise $50,000 for the Wounded Warriors Project.  If you would like to donate or follow their journey you can do so at CartingForACause.org.

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