A record $133,000 was raised to support wounded veterans through a golf tournament in Mississippi.
The 15th Annual Eagles Under the Oaks golf tournament in Pass Christian was a resounding success, sponsor Keesler Federal Credit Union proclaimed. The money raised at the event will go to the Combat Wounded Veterans of South Mississippi (CWVSM).
“I began by just asking people for donations to help wounded soldiers who could no longer serve in the active military,” CWVSM founder Donna Anderson said. “I met with Keesler Federal early on and they embraced the mission. They supported us in the beginning, and ever since.”
CWVSM helps servicemen and women who have sustained physical or psychological disabilities and are now longer able to pursue their career in the military. The organization provides and connects these wounded veterans to services to assist them in the transition from military to civilian life.
“The sacrifices our wounded veterans have made for our freedom is staggering, and humbling for all of us,” Lawrence Dupont, Keesler Federal Senior VP and Chief Risk Officer, said. “We all need to do everything we can to honor those sacrifices.”
The annual “Eagles Under the Oaks” tournaments have now raised more than $600,000 for CWVSM since the inaugural event in 2011 generated $13,000, which at that time was considered a milestone achievement.