My name is Ed Acevedo and I am a graduate of the Class of 1988. In
March I will be starting a cycling trip from Saint Augustine, Florida
to San Diego, California to raise awareness and money for disabled
veterans and the families of soldiers killed in action. Here is the
website for the trip: www.bike4vets.org
Many
of the younger USMA classes are bearing the brunt of the wars in Iraq
and Afghanistan. The purpose of my trip is to honor their sacrifices,
and the sacrifices of their troops.
If you like the concept, please let me know who I should direct future
emails to. I will send out a note once the trip is underway. I am not
asking any of you to solicit donations from people in your network. But
perhaps you can help me by getting out the word to anybody you think
might be interested in this cause. I am hoping to get a good amount of
support from members of the extended USMA community.
In case
anybody asks, I am not setting up my own charity for this event. On the
website there will be a page where donors can contribute directly to
one of several foundations that provide assistance to disabled
veterans. All of the charities are well-established and recognized by
the IRS as charitable organizations for tax purposes. Donations are
tax-deductible.
This event is not just about raising money, but
more about increasing awareness and focusing attention on our heroes.
The story of our veterans and their contributions often gets lost among
all the other media stories these days, and I hope my event will help
to ensure that their sacrifices are not forgotten.
Thank you for listening, and thank you for your service to America.