HOLLAND TWP. — A local veteran is traveling across the state to bring awareness to mental health needs for veterans. And he’s doing so by foot.

Travis Snyder, a United States Marine Corps veteran and 2005 graduate of Zeeland High School, is working his way up the Lake Michigan coast from Aug. 12 to Sept. 4. Snyder served in Afghanistan under Operation Enduring Freedom from 2017-18.

Travis Snyder, a Marine Corps veteran and Zeeland High School graduate, is walking the Lake Michigan coast to raise awareness for veterans' mental health.

This is Snyder’s fifth year walking for veterans’ mental health. He started this year’s walk at the Michigan-Indiana border and is walking one leg of his journey each day through Labor Day, when he will conclude the journey by participating in the annual Mackinac Bridge Walk.

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Snyder started walking in 2019 to raise awareness for veterans’ mental health after losing a friend to suicide.

“My first trip was in 2019. I took off from Manistee, went six weeks around Lake Michigan and ran 10 miles for veterans suicide and mental health awareness,” Snyder said. “We lost one of our buddies to suicide that year that we were in Afghanistan with. That led to advocating for the cause.”

Snyder walks to raise awareness of organizations providing support to veterans and raise money for them in the process.

“This year I’m trying to highlight different organizations along the way so that veteran men and women in the area can get more connected with the resources and organizations that we have here available to them,” Snyder said.

“There are so many great organizations, but it’s so hard to navigate and keep track of all that’s out there and learning about the services they provide.”

Travis Snyder began his fifth walk for veterans' mental health awareness Saturday, Aug. 12, 2023.

Eight veterans died by suicide in Ottawa County in 2021, the highest number in 12 years. That year, veterans accounted for around 6 percent of the county population, but 24 percent of suicide deaths in the county.

“I think doing something like this where we can bring people together to talk about these things is what helps us find solutions that work for us,” Snyder said. “Mental health is so important to each and every one of us.”

Snyder kicked off the Holland to Grand Haven portion of his trek Friday morning, Aug. 18, in Holland Township. He was joined by Ashley Coster, Ben Terpsma and Brad Dorland. Having local support is a huge part of Snyder’s efforts, with a community member offering him a place to stay every night along each of his five trips.

From left: Travis Snyder, Ashley Coster, Ben Terpsma and Brad Dorland stand for a photo Friday, Aug. 18, before embarking on a walk from Holland to Grand Haven. Snyder is walking from the Michigan-Indiana border to Mackinaw City from Aug. 12 to Sept. 4.

“Through here and through Northern Michigan, the support is immense,” Snyder said. “People will stop and kind of play 'Where's Waldo' with me and find me to come say hi, share their story, talk about someone that they’ve lost or someone that’s struggling.

“If I can be there to be present and listen with intent and tell them what helped me, that still goes a long way. Having support here in town and friends and family nearby to come say hi is very special.”

To follow along with Snyder’s journey, visit his Facebook page, “Veteran Mental Health: Travis' Hike Around Lake Michigan.” Information on various support organizations is available on the page as well.

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Since starting his initiative in 2019, Snyder has walked around the entirety of Lake Michigan twice, from Holland to Mackinaw City and from Manistee to Mackinaw City. As for future walks, Snyder said he’s taking it “a year at a time.”

“Every year I keep saying ‘I don’t know if I can do this again.’ But we’re still losing people,” he said. “As long as we’re losing people, I’m going to keep advocating one way or another.”

— Contact reporter Mitchell Boatman at mboatman@hollandsentinel.com.

This article originally appeared on The Holland Sentinel: Veteran walking across Michigan to raise awareness for mental health