Walking the Walk

By: Michael D. Boll

For the last few years, our mobile outreach team has been extremely active and growing throughout the entire state. Since there are so many veterans and first responders in need, we rely on volunteers to help with mentoring. One of our team’s mentors, Robert Bouthillette, has really taken things to the next level. Robert is a Navy veteran, one of our team’s event coordinators, and recently he started a charitable rucking team called the Raritan Bay Ruckers.

I have had the pleasure of meeting Robert at our 22-hour anti-suicide and PTSD awareness ruck march event at the New Jersey Policemen Benevolent Association at Atlantic City. While we were doing the walk, Robert said that he would like to do more to help our disabled veterans and their families. After the event, Robert contacted me and joined the team. Almost immediately, he began to help out and was always volunteering at our charity events as well.

Sometimes the general public has a difficult time understanding how to interact with our first responders and veterans. This is a huge problem, and Robert was extremely motivated to help and make a difference in so many lives and having someone like Robert on the team helps the other volunteers, as well. Everyone can work together and focus on the first responder or veteran in crisis.

When COVID-19 struck, a large number of charities and free service programs shut down. Sadly, so many people were experiencing anxiety and having a difficult time coping. This caused our mobile outreach program to expand and do whatever it could to help the increase in people in need. There was a shortage of protective gear and cleaning supplies. A few days into this pandemic, Robert contacted me and stated his company, Ashland Inc, was making hand sanitizer for first responders, veterans and hospital workers. At this time, we met up and coordinated a statewide distribution plan that would help countless people throughout the state. For nearly four months we were able to provide thousands of gallons of hand sanitizer to hospitals, veteran shelters, police/ fire departments, schools and other places that were helping people during COVID. During this mission, Robert also volunteered to help with our “Feed the Hero” initiative. The team began sending hot meals to veteran shelters, hospitals and the National Guard bases. It was truly amazing seeing how hard Robert worked on doing whatever possible to help make this mission a true success. The “Feed the Heroes” program fed over 3000 veterans and active-duty military members

Since, things have calmed down some and Robert really began focusing on amazing veteran/ military-friendly events. The first event he started was when the Raritan Bay Ruckers met in South Amboy and each participant filled their backpacks with canned food for the South Amboy Elks Drive-Thru Food Drive. Then a few weeks later, the Raritan Bay Ruckers and the Operation Rebound Racing team completed a 27-mile ruck march in the Henry Hudson Trail in Keyport.

There are a few people in this world who really stand out from the rest and dedicate their lives to help others, but Robert Bouthillette is that person. We are truly honored to have Robert on our team and he has done amazing things with his Raritan Bay Ruckers.