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thedrifter
03-05-09, 06:25 AM
Marines come to aid of wounded brethren
by Marissa Belles - Mar. 5, 2009 12:00 AM
The Arizona Republic

Once a Marine, always a Marine. That mantra inspired the East Valley Marines to work tirelessly on a project to help wounded soldiers at Camp Pendleton, Calif.

The Chandler-based group, which draws members from across the Valley, raised $14,000 for a specially built golf cart that will be used to carry injured soldiers around the base.

On Wednesday, a 20-person convoy transported that cart to California as part of the Wounded Warrior Program, which provides assistance to combat victims throughout their
recovery.

The convoy culminated a project that drew together Marines and several companies from across the Valley.

East Valley Marine member Will Oravetz of Maricopa said it's difficult for many wounded Marines to get from their barracks to treatment centers and other facilities on base.

"I would think that opportunity of mobility for someone wounded in action is one of the best things we can give," Oravetz said.

Richard Hippner, commandant of the East Valley Marines, said the outpouring of community support has been uplifting.

"We have had assistance from all over the state, which was really nice to see," Hippner said.

"These young people do so much for our country and this organization wants to support those who have given and lost for us."

Some of the money used to acquire the cart was left over from an East Valley Marines fund drive last fall to bring 60 Marine veterans of conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan to their annual ball.

Greg Holland, owner of Creative Works in Star Valley, helped build the golf cart by fusing two carts together.

"The vehicle can transport seven men," Holland said. "We also installed a ramp to make it easier for the disabled."

James Rhodes, owner of Highways Custom Canvas and Upholstery in Apache Junction, which did all the fabric work on the golf cart, said, "After everything these soldiers do for our country, they should be taken care of and I am happy to have contributed."

The construction of the transport cart was coordinated by Hippner and fellow Marine Chuck Crist, a driver for AI Golf Carts, a Chandler company that helped front the cost.

"I have not been close to being in the state that some of these young people are," said, Crist, a wounded Vietnam veteran.

"They deserve all the comfort and convenience we can possibly give them."

Ellie