Skip to content
Join our Newsletter

Group helps injured veteran move into new home

Cpl. Darren Aulenback served his country in Afghanistan and in Pakistan. He was an artillery specialist based out of the 2nd Regiment, Royal Canadian Horse Artillery headquartered at Canadian Forces Base Petawawa.
pilgrim-bandits--aulenback..jpg
Wounded soldier Cpl. Darren Aulenback (front) was helped to move to a mobility-friendlier home by the upstart Canadian chapter of Pilgrim Bandits. Helping the move were from left are Joe Elliott, Craig McCulloch, Robert Boal, Logan Hedstrom and six-year-old Clare Hedstrom.

Cpl. Darren Aulenback served his country in Afghanistan and in Pakistan.

He was an artillery specialist based out of the 2nd Regiment, Royal Canadian Horse Artillery headquartered at Canadian Forces Base Petawawa.

Wearing the uniform put Aulenback in a wheelchair.

Respect for both those circumstances attracted the attention of the Pilgrim Bandits organization, who stepped in to help Aulenback when the people of Canada, through federal government programs, would not.

It was the first time the United Kingdom-based Pilgrim Bandits had done work in Canada.

Aulenback was never struck down by enemy fire, but he was struck down by a couple of major injuries suffered from incidents caused in the midst of military action overseas. He lost a large part of his hearing, he can somewhat be upright but mostly needs the use of a motorized wheelchair and all the household and transportation outfitting a wheelchair requires.

Canada's Department of Veterans Affairs helps military veterans with life back home in peacetime after suffering injuries and other setbacks due to their work but Aulenback's condition fell between the cracks for coverage. They helpfully provided him with the wheelchair, for example, but not its repairs and not any of the needed retrofitting of the house he lived in.

Aulenback was therefore forced to move out of the house he and wife Tina lived in.

"They (Veterans Affairs) told us we were on our own," he said. "Thank goodness for the Legion, because they helped a lot, and the local reserve unit, the Rocky Mountain Rangers, they helped."

One of the Legion's local board members, retired U.K. soldier (22 years in the Royal Navy, including Gulf War service) Joe Elliott, had been talking with contacts back in Great Britain as well as people here in Prince George like Conservation Officer Craig McCulloch about transplanting the Pilgrim Bandits organization to this side of the pond. Aulenback was the motivation they needed.

"We have now been launched in Canada. This was the kind of project we needed to get started," said Elliott. "What the Pilgrim Bandits usually do is take injured veterans out on expeditions and experiences they couldn't take part in any other way, and we will definitely be doing that kind of thing here, but when you see a brother or a sister in need of help, we are going to help."

Members of the Prince George Legion, including D-Day paratrooper veteran Robert Boal (he is older than 90 and recently he made an extra $300 income so the federal government deducted $260 off his $1,500 per month allowance), plus members of the Rocky Mountain Rangers Reserve Unit all pitched in to move the boxes and furniture. Budget Truck Rental gave them free use of a moving truck. Over the course of two days, the Aulenbacks were moved from their previous home into one that is easier to get around in a wheelchair.

"I also want to point out that we heard about Darren's issues but he was too proud a man to ask for help. We came to him with the offer," Elliott said.

The Pilgrim Bandits have a couple of upcoming events of note. A group from the U.K. will, with the inclusion of some Prince George personnel, be paddling the Yukon River this summer, and a special Pilgrim Bandits guest is scheduled to attend a Prince George summer sporting event.

For information on the organization, visit their website at pilgrimbandits.org and for local contact email McCulloch at craig.mcculloch@pilgrimbandits.org.