OHT Goes to Camp
Dot Sheehan, Founder of Operation Hat Trick, and Megg Thompson Sheehan’s daughter and a UNH alum, went to Belgrade Maine on August 27 and 28 to visit Travis Mills ,the 5th living quadruple amputee and other amputees and to see Travis’ dream-the Travis Mills Project Camp.
According to Sheehan, ”When we went to Walter Reed National Military Medical Center on July 30 to deliver OHT hats and visit wounded warriors, Megg along with other in our group met Travis Mills. I happened to be in patient rooms that day so I never did get to meet Travis. Travis was injured on April 10, 2012 and when he woke from his coma on the 14th, his 24th birthday, he was told he had lost both arms and legs. Devastated by the news Travis worried about his ability to be a good husband and father to wife, Kelsey and his little girl Chloe then 6 months. But Travis is a very tough, determined young man and so he started on a journey to walk and do things he had done before his injury.”
“When OHT met Travis he talked about his dream of having a veterans camp in Maine where wounded warriors could come with their families to continue their recovery. Megg was so taken by Travis we decided to see what this camp was all about. I really wanted to meet this young man and when I did he was wearing the Maryland OHT hat. The next day it was the Southern hat and that night it was the New Hampshire hat. All were mesh because as Travis says ‘My circulatory system isn’t the same now that I don’t have arms and legs so I sweat a lot but these mesh hats are perfect because they let my head breathe.” “As you can imagine Travis was given a box of different schools’ mesh OHT hats.”
The Travis Mills project is a camp in Belgrade, Maine on the site of the Kennebec golf and tennis camp, a camp that has been family run for over 100 years. A portion of the camp has been carved out for Travis’ dream and the Bread of Life Ministries is overseeing the renovation/building. Dean Lachance, Deacon of bread of Life will say that “This project is the best thing I’ve ever done and I am forever thankful to Travis and the First Lady, Ann LePage for their total support and encouragement.”
“We went to check out the camp” says Sheehan,” and we brought some of the things they needed-fleece OHT blankets, a microwave, dishes and glassware among other things. But we were really looking to see how direct a donation this would be for OHT to make and believe me it is as direct a donation as anything to which we would give. We saw it firsthand as Travis and 6 of his amputee friends and their families got together to do the things that would further their recovery-swim, boat, fish, race in ATV’s and relax. It was so good to see them out of the hospital setting and having fun. It was particularly good to see Taylor Morris another quadruple amputee whom we met in 2012 at Walter Reed and his girlfriend Danielle.”
“As a result of our trip OHT is going to make a significant commitment to the Travis Mills Project. Wounded veterans from all over the country will come to Belgrade, Maine to do just what Travis hopes-have fun, spend time with family and friends and continue their struggle to recover. And that fits exactly with OHT’s mission of raising awareness and support for the recovery of wounded service members and veterans. We do that by selling branded OHT product and five a portion of each sale to those organizations that fit OHT’s mission.”
Says Megg Thompson, “My Mom has talked about OHT for a very long time so I made a commitment to go to Walter Reed this year. Then I met Travis and wanted to see his camp. His personality and sense of humor captivated me. These were two of the best experiences of my life. I have a 16 month old son and I can’t imagine him going through what these young men have gone through. I want to help in any way I can.”
For more information on Operation Hat Trick or to donate on line go to www.operationhattrick.com
