Last month, we were asked by the U.S. Veterans Administration and the PGA’s First Tee Program to help secure travel for four visually impaired, disabled veterans so that they could participate in the National Veterans TEE (Training, Exposure and Experience) Golf Tournament in Riverside, Iowa.
The four veterans—David Zang (Navy), Michael Smith (Army), Ronald Cody (Marines) and Joseph Taylor (Marines), combined, have served our country for over 36 years, from Vietnam through the Gulf War. Each was selected to participate along with over 200 other heroes in the golf tournament as a reward for their success in completing the Blind Rehabilitation Training Program offered by the Veterans Administration. In addition to their visual impairments, these wounded warriors suffer from other debilitating conditions including prostate and bladder cancer and melanoma, severe arthritis and the effects of a stroke.
Through our ShairGive program, we called upon our generous clients and contacts who rallied to the cause. Within days, we were able to secure free air travel for these deserving veterans. The trip was a great success. As one veteran put it, “My attendance at the [Tee Tournament is] yet another boost to…regain confidence and the ability to once again share with others how wonderful it is to excel regardless of our ‘bumps in the road.’”
Thanks to everyone in the Shaircraft community who answered the call for this worthy cause. (Special thanks to Alan Meltzer of The Meltzer Group, Joyce Bosc of Boscobel Marketing Communications, Dorothy White of Sentient and Shawna Erviti of Sky Limo Air Charter.) We will continue to look for opportunities to help veterans and others in need through our ShairGive program.