Service Learning Project

Katie Billingsley

Grammar and Composition II

Block 3

February 28, 2014

 Helping Those That Helped Us

            As little kids grow up, they begin thinking at a young age about what they want to do with their life. Most children will usually say something along the lines of becoming a princess, the president, or maybe even an astronaut. My dreams as a little girl were much different than those of most children my age. I have wanted to join the military since I was seven years old. I decided on which branch when I got into high school and began taking Physics. I fell in love with the concept of Physics and decided to join the Air Force as an Aerospace Engineer.

            The fact that I have kept the same dream for so long is a definite difference between me and other kids my age. I originally wanted to join as soon as I turned 18, but now I want to wait until I get my degree in college so I can join the military as an officer. All of the men in my family have been in the military and I want to carry on that tradition. Right now while I am preparing to go to college, I want to do something that has to do with my major. What better way to do something military related than to help out those that have served in our nation’s armed forces?

            There is an organization called The Wounded Warriors Project that helps soldiers that have been to war and have been injured while serving our great country. They support fundraisers, promote events, and get the word out about the help our wounded veterans need. I want to be a part of something that great. I want to help get the word out about our veterans and help get as many supporters and funds as we can. What better way to help out the veterans than to inform those around me about how often soldiers are injured in war and about how hard life can be when they are injured?

            I plan to inform those around me by using multiple methods. I will make a movie made up of short clips of those veterans that have been injured while serving. I will show their stories and let people see how hard life is for them through their stories. I will make a Facebook page to share those stories as well and to get more people involved. The biggest part of getting the word out is by actually doing something to help those veterans. Not only will I spread the word and stories, but I will raise money as well by hosting an event. By gathering baskets donated from surrounding businesses and made by various clubs in my school, I want to host a raffle event where all of the proceeds go to wounded warriors in need.

            This is no simple task, though. To do this a lot of things must be done. First I need a solid plan on what I want to go on at this event. Finding a sponsor and finding a place to host the event follows that. Calling local businesses around Springfield, MO to donate baskets for us to raffle off is the next step. By raffling these baskets off, we will be able to make a lot of money in small increments. Every penny counts when it comes to things like this. Of course you can’t forget about having food for people to munch on while spending money raffling. I must call local restaurants and ask if they could sponsor the event by providing food or drinks. Did you know there are at least 13 local businesses that are owned by veterans? A few examples are 417 Tours, Pizza Plus, Green Team Lawn Care, and DeLong Plumbing Heating and Air. Not only does Springfield have many veteran owned stores, but we also have multiple stores with military discounts. There are tons of stores located in Springfield that offer military discounts such as Pac Sun, Aeropostale, Best Buy, Burger King, McDonald’s, Kohl’s, and many more.

            Getting the words out about wounded warriors is no easy feat, but it will definitely be well worth the struggle. People need to be aware of this problem. Everyone knows people get wounded in war, but they don’t think about how hard the lives of those wounded warriors become after they come home. These are things that people need to know, and I want to be the one that informs them. This service learning project is helping me to realize that I am going in the right direction with my career path, and it is proving to me how passionate I am about the military.

 

Works Cited

"Military Discounts Offered by Stores, Services and Online Sites." Military Benefits. N.p., n.d. Web. 26 Feb. 2014.

This source provided me with information on stores that offer military discounts. This information was detrimental in showing how many businesses already support our nation's veterans.

 

"Springfield, Greene County, Missouri | Veteran Owned Business Directory | Military Veteran Businesses Owners | SDVOSB | VOB | VOSB | DVBE." Springfield, Greene County, Missouri | Veteran Owned Business Directory | Military Veteran Businesses Owners | SDVOSB | VOB | VOSB | DVBE. N.p., n.d. Web. 26 Feb. 2014.

This source provided a lot of information on local veteran-owned businesses. It provided me with locations, contact numbers, and specific discount information. This website was very helpful in my research.