History
The Hike
In early 2016, 22 2 None began with the idea of bringing veterans back together after their time in service. Our founders, Dave Wenkel and Ben Gunderson, believed that gathering veterans would rekindle the camaraderie they once had while serving. It was during this time that the statistic of 22 veterans completing suicide each day became more widely known. Dave and Ben decided then that their focus needed to shift from simply reconnecting with veterans, to saving veteran lives, and the idea for a suicide awareness hike was born.
On October 22nd, 2016, we held our first hike. We decided on 22 miles to signify the 22 veterans lost to suicide each day. Joined by over 100 veterans and civilian supporters, our hike started in Kewadin, MI and ended at Bryant Park in Traverse City, MI. The emotions at the finish were overwhelming as we were greeted not only by friends, family, and supporters, but with bagpipes and drums as well.
Crossing the finish line was truly the beginning of our journey to help struggling veterans Fight The Fight Within.
Fighting the Fight Within
Mission Impact Video 2022 (Swingshift and the Stars)
22 2 None was founded not only to raise awareness about the fact that an average of 22 veterans are committing suicide every day, but also to come alongside veterans in need and help them out with their daily struggles - things that start to pile up and weigh on them that can eventually bring their spirit down and may make them start to lose hope. We want to help relieve that stress.
We are committed to being available at any time for our veterans, night and day, especially when someone might be struggling and doesn’t know what to do or who to talk to. We can be that sounding voice for them to make sure that they understand that everything is okay, and we will get through this together.
Community Connections
As we continue to expand into our Northern Michigan community in as many ways as we can, our hope is to bring camaraderie between veterans and those around them. Since our founding, we have teamed up with local businesses for fundraising events, sponsored awareness hikes, cookouts, and even learned ballroom dancing, helping us spread awareness to a wider platform while creating a unique and inviting experience for everyone.
We want to make sure that everyone is aware that something can be done to bring the number of suicides down in our veteran community, rather than hiding it or pretending it doesn’t exist. It is real, and together we can do something about it.
