SoldierStrong, a nonprofit organization dedicated to providing advanced medical technologies to veterans, announced that United Rentals, the world's largest equipment rental provider, and Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing have renewed their partnership with the charitable organization for a third year.
Through its Turns for Troops program, United Rentals will donate $50 to SoldierStrong for every lap the three Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing drivers complete. The drivers – Graham Rahal, who has participated in Turn for Troops since it began in 2016; Takuma Sato, winner of the 2017 Indianapolis 500; and Oriol Servia – will compete in the 102nd Indianapolis 500 on Sunday, May 27.
SoldierStrong applies donations toward the purchase of state-of-the-art medical technologies such as robotic exoskeletons that allow paralyzed veterans to stand and walk again, as well as to its SoldierScholarship program that benefit injured veterans across the country. These medical technologies and scholarships help injured veterans to literally take their next steps forward in life.
“We are thrilled to continue our partnership this year with United Rentals and Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing, and are particularly excited to have three incredible drivers at the Indianapolis 500 driving in support of veterans through Turns for Troops,” said Chris Meek, co-founder and chairman of SoldierStrong. “Their continued support enables us to achieve our goal of assisting as many injured veterans as possible and helping them to regain the freedom, mobility, and independence they deserve after their service to our country.”
In 2016, United Rentals and Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing first partnered on the Turns for Troops program. Since then, United Rentals has donated more than $274,000 to SoldierStrong, which has gone toward purchasing cutting-edge medical devices. SoldierStrong has donated these medical devices to Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Rehabilitation Centers around the country. This year’s donations will help provide exoskeleton devices to VA Medical Centers in Des Moines, Iowa, and Tampa, Florida.
“United Rentals is very proud to help vets take their next steps forward. As one of the top military friendly companies, we pride ourselves on supporting service members after their return home,” said Chris Hummel, Senior Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer at United Rentals. “By sharing this mission with SoldierStrong and Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing through Turns for Troops, we are able to raise awareness of this cause and make an even greater positive impact in the lives of our veterans.”
Among those who have benefitted from such advanced medical technologies is Sergeant Dan Rose, a U.S. Army veteran who was paralyzed by a bomb blast in 2011 during a deployment to Afghanistan. Rose, who is paralyzed but has regained his mobility using a robotic exoskeleton suit, will stand up and walk at the Indianapolis 500, including standing for the national anthem.
SoldierStrong previously awarded Graham Rahal, a four-time winner in the Verizon IndyCar Series, the Commitment to Service Award in recognition of his work raising awareness for the nonprofit organization and its mission to support injured veterans.
“I think for us, the greatest joy that we can have in racing, even more so than winning, is to have a partner like United Rentals who's willing to give back and utilize our platform in a way that is far more powerful than any trophy may ever be,” said Graham Rahal, driver of the No. 15 United Rentals Honda in the Verizon IndyCar Series. “This is a program I'm extremely proud of. There’s a lot that we all can do here to make a difference. United Rentals stepping up to help SoldierStrong and to match the donation on laps Takuma and Oriol make too is tremendous. I really believe that we can -- I know we can far surpass the number that we raised last year and just continue to help make a difference in the lives of all those who risk so much for you and I. Definitely proud to be a part of it.”
To learn more about the program and opportunities to directly support SoldierStrong, visit turnsfortroops.com.
