Our veterans have given so much to our country, but there is one more thing
they can do for us: teach us about their legacy. Their stories provide
us the opportunity to learn from them and to understand their service
and sacrifice. However, there are very few opportunities for them to speak
with and to connect with the next generation of leaders in politics, business,
and the military.
I believe our veterans inspire our country and give us hope in even our
darkest hour. That goes especially for our World War II veterans, but
so many are dying each day and their legacy and history is dying with them.
A few years ago, PFC Bob Brown, one of the famed
"Boys of Pointe du Hoc" from the D-Day landings received the
American Veterans Center's Audie Murphy Award for bravery and courage in the face of the enemy. More importantly, while
he was in Washington, D.C. to receive the award he spoke at The American
Veterans Center's National Youth Leadership Summit. It gave him the
chance to share his story with high school and college students, ROTC
units, midshipmen, and cadets.
Two weeks after he shared his story, Bob Brown passed away at the age
of 92. Bob Brown's daughter wrote The Veterans Center's President,
Jim Roberts. Jim shared the letter with me and I'd like to share the
part of the letter that struck me the hardest with you:
"You may never know what it means to me that my dad passed away knowing
that his service was still appreciated, and that his story and legacy
will live on, thanks to the American Veterans Center."
It means so much to our veterans and especially their families to know
they are still appreciated and that their legacy will live on.
The National Youth Leadership Summit gives these veterans and their families
that chance.
The veterans are not the only ones that want to be there... these young
people WANT to be there.
Jessica, a student that attended last year's Youth Summit said,
"each of us took great leadership lessons away from the experience
and will truly remember this event for the rest of our lives."
A Cadet at West Point said,
"it was an extremely unique opportunity to meet real heroes. We go
to school for four years trying to learn how to be a good leader, and
it is incredible to meet with those men and women that we read about and
aspire to be."
Jim Roberts has a cabinet full of testimonials like that in his office.
Young people want to come! Jim and The American Veterans Center make it
easier for them to attend by paying for the hotel, food, and conference
registration for nearly all of the young attendees.
Unfortunately, this year he is starting to turn away young people from
the conference, due to a lack of funding.
Right now he has 115 students who want to attend the event that he does
not have the funding to support.
Jim asked me for my help to help raise roughly $20,000 to get these students
to the conference on November 5. He needs to let the students know by Friday, October 30 if he has the
funding to get them here.
Between lodging, transportation, registration fees, and other expenses,
it costs The American Veterans Center $250 per student to participate in the National Youth Leadership Summit.
Your tax-deductible gift will go a long way. Here's what your gift
will support:
- $27 will help cover a day's registration for the Summit
- $54 will cover both day's registration
- $99 will cover a day's registration and one night's lodging
- $250 will pay for a young person to attend the entire conference including, food, and lodging
Please consider supporting this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for these young people. I know that the veterans will never forget the chance they had to tell their story and to ensure that the next generation knows the service and sacrifice that they gave to our nation.
Thank you,
Laura Ingraham
P.S. – My father was a World War II veteran and I know he would have loved to have the chance to speak to these young people at the American Veterans Center's National Youth Summit and I, as a daughter and as an American, wish he had had the chance.
P.P.S. – Please consider supporting this great event and give a young person the chance to connect with a veteran. I want more young people to learn the true meaning of service and sacrifice.