U.P. Vets Served

06/11/2026

Our friends with the Oscar G. Johnson VA Caregiver Support Program are holding the VA Caregiver Resource Fair, an opportunity to learn about the wealth of resources available to Caregivers and families of veterans from the VA and other community agencies.

There will be resources, wellness activities, and refreshments!

June 23, 2026
10:00 AM – 2:00 PM
At the Oscar G. Johnson VA Medical Center, Room 5150
Located at 325 E H St. in Iron Mountain, MI

Please note: This event is not hosted by SAIL Disability Network of the UP. For more information, please contact the Oscar G. Johnson VA Medical Center.
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06/11/2026

UP Vets Served/Camp Josh Fishing Weekend in Ontonagon

Join UP Vets Served and fellow UP veterans for a free relaxed and accessible weekend of fishing, food, nature, games, mindfulness, and comradery at Camp Josh!

Fish caught will be cleaned by Camp Josh and can be sent home with participants.

Poles and bait are provided for use during the event, but feel free to bring your own!

All UP veterans and their immediate family members are welcome.

Free lodging available for out-of-towners, but lodging space is limited.

You must call Tim at 906-936-0908 or email [email protected] to sign up for this event by July 8th.
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05/19/2026

Veteran's Summer Biking Club

Join UP Vets Served for an inclusive biking series for veterans and their immediate family members! These relaxed rides along the Marquette bike path include shared meals from Marquette restaurants and mindfulness sessions that incorporate gentle movement, breathing exercises, and guided meditation to help participants deepen their connection to their breath, their body, and the present moment. Veterans who prefer not to ride are welcome to join for the meal and mindfulness portion.

All rides go from 6:00 pm to 8:00 pm (give or take) and will begin and end at:

Superior Mini Storage
2120 Sugarloaf Avenue
Marquette, MI

Dates and correlating park destinations are following. Join for one, some, or all!

June 5 - McCarty’s Cove
June 26 - Shiras Park
July 17 - Presque Isle Park
August 7 - Presque Isle Park
August 28 - Shiras Park
September 18 - Ellwood Mattson Lower Harbor Park

Registration is required by the Wednesday of the bike rides you would like to join by calling 906-936-0908. This ensures that you will have a meal and an accessible bike if necessary.

SAIL has a fleet of 21 adaptive, accessible on site for free use at these and other events! If you're interested in learning more about these bikes, call Tim at 906-936-0908 to find one to use that’s right for you!

In case of poor weather, meal and mindfulness events will move to the SAIL Office, located at 1025 West Washington Street, Suite C, in Marquette.

UPVETS Served is a free, accessible recreation program for U.P. veterans and their immediate families. All programming and meals are paid for through generous donations to SAIL’s 1-in-4 campaign.

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04/20/2026

A message from our friends at the Marquette County Veterans Affairs Transportation Program:

"Volunteer Drivers Needed.

By April 29th, the driver pool will drop from 14 to 4.

Help us keep veterans connected to critical medical care.

In 2026, our volunteers have already
- Provided 247 rides to VA Appointments
- Supported 63 veterans, including long-distance trips to Iron Mountain, Green Bay, and Milwaukee

Volunteer Requirements:
- Valid Michigan driver's license
- Clean driving record
- Tier 1 federal background check (no cost)
- VA physical, fingerprinting, and training
- Compassion and reliability

Call 906-373-6191 or email [email protected]

Even one day makes a difference."

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04/16/2026

Take Home a Garden

Join fellow veterans for an accessible “lunch and learn” experience featuring a shared meal and hands-on gardening workshop.

Enjoy a meal from Up North Lodge, followed by a beginner-friendly gardening session led by Steve Finley, a director of Gwinn Food System, covering soil basics, planting, plant care, and an introduction to larger-scale gardening. All materials are provided, and participants will take home plants they sow.

This event is part of UP Vets Served, a free, accessible recreation program for Upper Peninsula veterans and their immediate families. All programming and meals are made possible through generous donations to SAIL’s 1-in-4 campaign.

Saturday, May 16, 2026
12:00 pm – 3:00 pm
Up North Lodge
215 S. Co. Rd. 557
Gwinn, MI 49841

Free (limited spots available)

Register now: 906-936-0908
[email protected]

04/13/2026

Join us for a fun and inclusive afternoon at the AMBUCS Family Fun Field Day!

This is a great opportunity for people of all ages and abilities to come together, stay active, and enjoy some time outdoors.

📅 Saturday, May 2, 2026
🕐 1:00 pm – 4:00 pm
📍 MARESA
321 East Ohio Street
Marquette, Michigan, 49855

Enjoy a variety of indoor and outdoor activities, including bag toss, bowling, parachute games, and more. A calming room will also be available for anyone who may need a quieter space.

The day will wrap up with a group bike and trike parade in the parking lot from 3:30 pm to 4:00 pm. Feel free to bring your own AmTryke, tricycle, or bicycle and join in the fun!

This event is free to attend. Donations are welcome, with proceeds supporting the purchase of AmTrykes for individuals in our community.

We hope to see you there for an afternoon of connection, movement, and fun!

For more information, please contact [email protected]

Image description begins. A flyer for the AMBUCS Family Fun Field Day, the details of which are in the above post. There is a red border and two pictures of families riding a variety of adaptive cycles. Image description ends.

03/19/2026

Our friends at the Michigan Center for Rural Health are hosting an upcoming Zoom webinar on Oral Health Access for Veterans, featuring Speaker Holli Seabury, EdD, from the Delta Dental Foundation.

📅 April 10, 2026
⏰ 1:00 pm to 2:00 pm EST
💻 Zoom Webinar

This is a great opportunity to learn more about access to oral health care for veterans and connect with others interested in this important topic.

For more information or questions, please contact Renee Calkins at [email protected].

Please note: This is not a SAIL-hosted event.

02/18/2026

We had an awesome time this winter, both bowling in January and at the Bay Cliff Winter Retreat a few weeks ago! Who thought they were going to learn to salsa dance this winter? Thanks to all veterans and their families who came and made it such a great time!

We are currently planning a fun variety of UP Vets Served events for the spring and summer, so keep an eye out for updates!

Our next event will be the weekend of May 15-17, in Menominee County! More details to come.

02/09/2026

We’d appreciate your input to help UP Vets Served plan free, accessible recreation events that best serve Upper Peninsula veterans by filling out this brief, 12-question survey!

We'd appreciate your input to help UP Vets Served plan free, accessible recreation events

01/15/2026

Service members can bowl for free Saturday from 4-6 p.m. at River Rock Lanes in Ishpeming thanks to the Upper Peninsula SAIL Disability Network.
https://www.uppermichiganssource.com/2026/01/14/up-sail-provide-free-bowling-veterans/