Julia and Bill Trout suffered a loss they do not want any other family to experience: the suicide of their son Daulton. To help raise awareness and prevent additional suicides, they established the Daulton Trout Memorial Motorcycle Ride in June 2021. Daulton and his family were avid riders and Daulton’s dad, Bill said, “our point is get the message out about suicide prevention.”

They were introduced to Building Bridges Foundation by a friend of theirs who donates and delivers dirt to help maintain the Farm. They took some time to understand the purpose of Building Bridges and meet some of the Veterans who benefit from the opportunities available. Once they realized that Building Bridges Foundation exists to help prevent suicide among Military Veterans, it didn’t take long before they decided that Building Bridges should be the recipient of the 2023 Memorial Ride proceeds. 

Julia came to the Veterans Café on June 22 to present a check to the Foundation while the Veterans were sharing their stories and enjoying breakfast. There were gasps heard from the crowd followed by an emphatic round of applause in thanks. At Veterans Café, stories are shared every week and hearing Julia’s story about honoring and remember Daulton was encouraging to others who have lost loved ones and friends.

Thank you, Julia and Bill, for your generous donation. This will make a huge impact on the services Building Bridges can provide to our Veterans.