AKRON, Ohio (WOIO) – A special day at Firestone Country Club, Military Appreciation, specifically: Folds of Honor Friday.
“They give that stability, that hey, you don’t have to worry about college, you don’t have to worry about summer camp, you don’t have to worry about all these things cause we have it covered,” said 1st Lt. Paul Brown.
The folds of honor gets money to children and spouses of fallen or disabled military and first responders.
The money helps those family members trying to get a an education at every level, from kindergarten through college.
“It means so much, from me, a surviving spouse but also an Ohio recipient,” said Tiffany Eckert, who is tied to the organization in several ways.
Eckert is part of its speakers bureau, and also a recipient as she works through college.
She lost her husband, Andrew, back in 2005 while he was serving Iraq.
Now, she is dedicated to getting more families this critical resource.
A big part of raising donations are events, like the championship at Firestone.
Thanks to the event, $65,000 will go to 13 applicants.
“You’re left in the most emotionally vulnerable positions possible, emotionally devastated financially; you don’t know what’s going to come next, and that’s where organizations like Folds of Honor or the Massachusetts Legacy Fund, in my case, step in,” said Brown, who received a similar type of support when he was a kid after his father died serving overseas.
He says it made the difference in his and his siblings ability to go to college.
“For the 2023-2024 school year, 93,00 scholarships were awarded out of the 11,000 that applied; for this year, going into the 2024-25 school year, 19,000 have already applied,” said Eckert.
And because it is Folds of Honor Friday, Old Glory also flies on the 13th pin, and is manned by several members of th military, including Brown.
He notes that along with financial support, such organizations also offer community.
“Finding other Gold Star family members to talk to and getting that community and support is so incredibly important,” said Brown.
To donate, go to the Folds Of Honor website.
Copyright 2024 WOIO. All rights reserved.
