Richard Stouder, center, president of Pull For Our Veterans, presents checks for $19308.50 to Megan Wynn of the Fisher House Foundation Inc, left, and to Eddie Mannis of Honor Air Knoxville. Pull For Our Veterans is an Oak Ridge-based 501(c)(3) dedicated to helping veterans and their families. (Submitted photo)
Pull For Our Veterans, an Oak Ridge-based nonprofit organization dedicated to helping veterans and their families, presented checks in the amount of $19,308.50 to both Honor Air Knoxville and the Fisher House Foundation Inc. in a ceremony at the Oak Ridge Sportsmen’s Association in Oak Ridge on November 29.
“Honor Air Knoxville and The Fisher House Foundation are two great organizations that do a lot, but they need help and we’re proud to support them,” said Richard Stouder, president of Pull For Our Veterans. “It’s gratifying to know that the money we raised in 2016 will be used by them to help support our veterans and their loved ones. We want to thank our corporate sponsors, Consolidated Nuclear Security, National Strategic Protective Services, Enrichment Federal Credit Union, and Clayton Homes as well as the many other sponsors, participants, and all of our wonderful volunteers who worked tirelessly to make these events happen. They are the ones that are making a difference in the lives of our veterans and their families.”
Honor Air Knoxville is a 501(c)(3) that is dedicated to honoring World War II, Korean, and Vietnam veterans from East Tennessee and the sacrifices they made to ensure our freedoms. Each Honor Air trip costs approximately $500 per veteran. Every dollar donated is applied directly to the cost of the trip. No donation dollars are applied to administrative expenses.
“We’re a volunteer organization so every penny goes to fly only vets to Washington, D.C. and we appreciate the support” said Eddie Mannis, the president and found of Honor Air Knoxville. “This contribution goes a long way to support our mission, and the proceeds from Pull For Our Veterans could pay for all 38 World War II vets on our April flight.”
The Fisher House Foundation Inc. constructs facilities for the purpose of providing temporary lodging for members of the armed services and their families receiving care in military and veterans’ hospitals. The Foundation also funds a scholarship program and provides military personnel and their families with free air travel and hotel rooms.
“We do little advertising so we depend on grassroots organizations to get the word about Fisher House and to raise funds,” said Megan Wynn, a grants coordinator for the Fisher House Foundation Inc. “The funds will go directly to building new houses in different locations, and the money from Pull For Our Veterans will go to building a new facility in the Southeast.”
Pull For Our Veterans hosted two major fundraising events in 2016. The first was the Inaugural Pull For Our Veterans Memorial Day Weekend Sporting Clays Shoot hosted by the Lucky 7 Ranch in Sweetwater on May 27-28. The second event was the Fifth Annual Skeet and Trap Fun Shoot held at the Oak Ridge Sportsmen’s Association facilities from September 16-18. Both events, plus other fund raising efforts during the year, resulted in the organization bringing in about $39,000 in 2016.
Pull For Our Veterans donates 100 percent of its net proceeds to the groups it sponsors. Since it started in 2012, it’s donated more than $146,000 to support veterans and their families.
More information will be added as it becomes available.
This press release was submitted by Tim Vane.
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