From Bald Moves to Dainty Paint Strokes: Veteran Supporters of All Shapes and Sizes Are Making a Difference
Vince Lai is a clean-cut management consultant in North Carolina. He was willing to grow his hair long with the intention of donating it to Locks of Love, a nonprofit that provides hair pieces to children who have lost their hair due to medical conditions. But after more than two years of growing his hair, he decided to raise the stakes to help as many people as possible.
“For 2½ years, I grew my hair, which raised a lot of interest and eyebrows,” Vince said. “Once it was long enough to donate, I decided to tap into my notoriety, and instead of just lopping my hair off and mailing it in, I chose to drum up some donations for charity.”
To stir up enthusiasm, Vince turned his donation into a competition by selecting two charities he cares for deeply. His fundraising efforts and the fate of his dome would be based on the opinions of his donors. If more funds were pledged to the American Cancer Society, Vince would only cut off the minimum length required by Locks of Love and keep some of his hair. But if more funds were pledged to Wounded Warrior Project® (WWP), he would shave his head bald.
“I chose Wounded Warrior Project because I have two uncles who served – one in the Air Force and one in the Marines,” he explained. “I chose the American Cancer Society because I’ve had multiple members of my family overcome cancer, and my grandfather died from cancer when I was 6.”
To “shave” the way to a successful fundraiser, Vince sent messages to family, friends, and business associates. He was surprised when one of his business connections, who served on the board of a cancer charity in Nevada, instead made a four-figure donation to WWP – which sealed his fate.
“The donor thanked me profusely for starting the drive because he and his wife had meant for years to donate to Wounded Warrior Project but had simply not gotten around to it,” Vince said.
The final tallies were $3,000 to WWP and $2,100 to the American Cancer Society. That meant more people in need would benefit – and that Vince would shave his head.
Vince’s act of kindness helped to raise awareness about two worthy causes and gave donors something to rally over. Rest a-sheared that Vince had a little fun while helping veterans and cancer patients. See for yourself – every picture “gels” a story.
Students Render Pet Portraits to Honor Service and Sacrifice
Charlotte, 7, and Tyler, 9, are siblings growing up with many examples of military service to our country. Several of their relatives are active-duty service members, and their uncle, Petty Officer 2nd Class Sean E. Brazas, was serving in the U.S. Navy as a master military working dog handler when he was killed in action in Afghanistan in 2012. He was shot while helping an injured comrade into a helicopter.
Even though they were born after their uncle’s passing, Charlotte and Tyler have grown up hearing about what a bright light their uncle was. They understand the sacrifices service members and military families make.
“Military service, veterans, and freedom are always things we are talking about as a family,” their mom Christie said.
Charlotte and Tyler decided on pet portraits because they thought others might enjoy a personalized detail of their beloved pets. They created a couple of examples and put them on a flyer, inviting friends, relatives, and neighbors to commission portraits.
“People gave them photos of their pets, and they took turns doing the portraits, delivering them, and collecting the money,” Christie said.
The siblings were excited to know they raised more than $1,200 from their portraits.
“They told friends and family about their accomplishment and were also very happy to see the post on WWP’s social media that featured them!” Christie said.
These young supporters are honoring their uncle’s memory and bringing love and support to veterans all over the country.
Keeping His Light Shining for All
U.S. Marine Corps veteran Justin Matthew Hasty joined the Marines to help others and continued to lend a hand after his military service. After his tragic death, his mom Sandy started a memorial 5K in Mobile, Alabama, to honor her son’s life.
“Justin was such a sweet soul,” Sandy said. “He had the kindest heart and the greatest smile. His smile would literally light up an entire room. He loved life. He loved his family and his friends. He talked to us about wanting to support Wounded Warrior Project, so we decided that we needed to do something positive – supporting Wounded Warrior Project in his memory was a natural choice for us.”
March of 2023 will be the 10th 5K Sandy holds in honor of Justin. “When I started this event, I heard that most 5Ks don't survive after a few years, and we are still going strong!”
Sandy raised $10,000 in 2022 and has raised about $135,000 for WWP over the last decade. The JMH Let’s Get It 5K has become a tradition in Mobile and has also brought the community together to help veterans.
Mobile is where Justin was born and raised and where he graduated from high school. The 5K route is where Justin liked to run. It’s only fitting the crowd that gathers in his honor follows his footsteps each year.
Sandy is faithful to Justin’s memory, and she has found a way to amplify Justin’s light and share his love with the community and the world.
Appreciation and Gratitude from WWP
WWP is thankful and immensely appreciative of people throughout the country who dedicate their time and effort to help veterans.
“Anyone can help veterans access the services they need by rallying their friends and community to take a stand for those who have given so much to us,” said Eden Carr, WWP director of fundraising events. “Warriors and their families never pay a penny for needed services because of the generosity of Americans from all walks of life. We want to make it as easy as possible to engage with veterans and show them our gratitude and support.”
To see how veterans’ supporters fuel WWP’s programs and services that connect, serve, and empower wounded warriors, or to find out how you can help, please visit https://www.woundedwarriorproject.org/give-back.
Contact: Raquel Rivas — Public Relations, rrivas@woundedwarriorproject.org, 904.426.9783
About Wounded Warrior Project
Since 2003, Wounded Warrior Project® (WWP) has been meeting the growing needs of warriors, their families, and caregivers — helping them achieve their highest ambition. Learn more.