6,000 Miles. For the 22.
A father and son rowing America's Great Loop — roughly 6,000 miles of rivers, lakes, canals and coastal waterways, completed in seasonal sections over a four-to-five-year mission beginning in June 2027 — so veterans don't fight alone.
We're looking for veterans to join the mission on America's Great Loop. No experience required — all transportation, equipment, and training are provided.
Beginning in June 2027, our crew will row America's Great Loop — roughly 6,000 miles around the eastern half of the country by way of the inland river system, the Great Lakes, the canals, the Gulf Coast and the Atlantic Intracoastal Waterway — completed in seasonal sections across a four-to-five-year mission.
The boat is not the mission. The boat is the platform. Every marina, school, Rotary club, veteran organization and community stop becomes another place to talk openly about veteran mental health. An estimated 22 veterans lose their lives to suicide every day. Recent research suggests the true number may be nearly double.
"Mile after mile, lock after lock — this loop is more than a passage. It is a platform for advocacy, healing, and action."
Each leg of our journey raises funds for a new set of partners. Season One supports Roll 2 Heal and This Able Veteran — organizations walking beside our veterans every day. The Southern IL Veterans Foundation is the foundation organizing the row.
Healing through community.
Improves mental well-being of veterans, first responders, and healthcare professionals by building safe communities through tabletop role-playing games — fostering connection, camaraderie, and stress recovery.
Service dogs for those who served.
Trains and pairs service dogs with veterans, providing life-changing companionship and support for those coping with physical and mental health challenges.
Our funding goal covers the vessel, training, safety equipment, and operational costs to complete America's Great Loop — and stand for every veteran who needs us back on shore.
Secure checkout — make a one-time gift or become a monthly supporter and keep the crew moving all year long.
Claim a mile of America's Great Loop for $22 — in honor or memory of someone. Your name lives on the public Wall of Miles forever.
Enter to win a premier firearm and stand for the 22. Tickets from $20 — transferred through a licensed FFL.
3.1 miles, your way. Register, fundraise, log your time, and stand for the 22.
We're completing the Great Loop in a 28-foot expedition rowing boat built for endurance and self-sufficiency — a mobile outreach platform prepared for locks, rivers, lakes and coastal waterways, and for the relentless miles this mission demands.
A four-to-five-year mission completed in seasonal sections, starting June 2027. Every day is a new lock, a new town, a new river bend — and a new chance to talk about the 22 veterans we lose each day.
Summer storms, river currents, commercial barge traffic, fixed bridges, shoaling, and the constant juggle of weather windows, lock hours, and fuel range. Patience and preparation matter as much as horsepower.
Steady miles, every season, until the loop closes.
Base campaign need: $150,200 — plus $5,000 for every veteran who joins an expedition leg.
Sponsors aren't just putting a logo on a boat — they're building the infrastructure that carries veteran outreach into communities along the Great Loop. Pick a level, fund a specific mission need, or reach out to design a custom or in-kind partnership.
Individuals and businesses can claim miles of the Great Loop and be recognized in the campaign mile registry.
Support the full campaign or designate your gift to a specific operational priority. The two most urgent needs are the expedition vessel and the transportation/logistics required to move and support it.
Help fund the core expedition platform and mission-specific vessel preparation.
Support towing, trailer, fuel and ground logistics that connect each water segment.
Fund Year 1 crew food, hydration, electrolytes, snacks and resupply for four people over roughly three months.
Help equip the crew and participating veterans with safety and survival systems.
Support navigation, communications, tracking and essential marine electronics.
Provide safe overnight dockage, weather layovers, launch access and shore support for the first season.
Fully sponsor one veteran participant for a leg — travel, food, gear, training and mission support.
Support cameras, connectivity, storage and media tools used to share veteran stories.
Support emergency propulsion and power systems for safer operation.
Support printed materials, events, presentations and local outreach.
In-kind partnerships: we also welcome in-kind support that directly reduces expedition costs — marine equipment, safety gear, towing and transportation, fuel, food, lodging, dockage, communications, cameras, connectivity, printing, apparel and professional services.
A limited number of 10-foot feather flag sponsorships at public events, fundraisers, outreach stops and community appearances. Only 10 flag spots per event, so every sponsor gets meaningful visibility.
One 10-ft feather flag displayed at one public event, plus a sponsor recognition post.
Flag placement at three public events, social media tags and event recap mentions.
Flag displayed at all eligible public events for the season, priority placement and logo inclusion in promotional content.
All Season benefits plus a custom sponsor flag displayed on or with the expedition boat at select appearances, marina stops and dockside events.
Flag add-ons: $150 additional event · $400 three-event bundle · +$100 priority placement per event · +$100 keep your flag after campaign use. Public-event flag placements are limited to 10 sponsors per event, first come, first served. Boat flag display is subject to weather, vessel operations, marine safety, event rules and respectful flag etiquette — the American flag always remains the primary national flag.
Placement, appearances, co-branding and activation opportunities depend on available space, route, production deadlines, safety requirements and mutually agreed terms. Benefits can be customized for strategic or in-kind partners. Southern Illinois Veterans Foundation is an IRS-recognized 501(c)(3) nonprofit — EIN 41-5211864. Sponsorship arrangements that provide marketing or other return benefits may have different tax treatment; please consult your tax advisor.
22 veterans a day. Roughly 6,000 miles of America's waterways. Four to five seasons to close the loop, starting June 2027. Stand with us.