Veteran Support / Non-Profit Organizations

Pin-Ups for Vets founder Gina Elise began to hear news stories about Iraq war Veterans needing medical care and she wanted to do something creative to help. Her grandfather served in WWII and Gina had always been a fan of that era’s pin-up art.  So in 2006 she decided to create a classy, 1940’s style pin-up calendar to raise money for Veterans. After donating $5,000 in proceeds from the first calendar to a local Veteran’s hospital, she began to get [...]

American Warrior Garage was inspired by a chance encounter in a department store parking lot. Scott Jones and his friend Vince Gibson had been restoring cars together for about 20 years. One day they noticed a Veteran who had lost both legs to an IED blast “wheeling around” Vince’s 1969 El Camino. A conversation about classic cars ensued with the Veteran saying  “Man, I’d like to be able to drive one of those.”   Both Scott and Vince are Navy Veterans [...]

Veteran’s Repertory Theater President and Artistic Director Christopher Paul Meyer had acting in his blood. He comes from three generations of theater performers.  But the 9/11 attacks created a long detour from the performance arts. Chris found some success acting, including a small role in a television soap opera. He chose to focus his energies on stand-up comedy because that allowed him to be more entrepreneurial. His directorial debut was a one act “off-off Broadway” comedy. Opening weekend went well, [...]

Rita Cosby is one of the most respected broadcasters in America and an ardent advocate for our military and Veterans.  She has practiced her craft as both a radio and television host and has been recognized with THREE Emmy Awards – the highest recognition for excellence in the broadcast industry. While she has interviewed over twenty world leaders, entertainment icons and even a serial killer, her greatest interview may have been with her own father. As a child she noticed [...]

Helping homeless Veterans find housing is a passion Ken Leslie feels deep in his bones. He is the founder and “Chief Advocate Officer” for the non-profit Veterans Matter. While Ken never served in the military, at one time he himself was homeless and living off the streets. As a traveling standup comedian in the 1980’s Ken began to notice a greater number of homeless around the country.  This led him to start a homeless project in his hometown of Toledo. [...]

The Medal of Honor was presented to Staff Sergeant David Bellavia for his actions November 10, 2004 during the second battle of Fallujah. He would become the first living Iraq War Veteran to earn our nation’s highest military decoration. He also sits on the board of the National Medal of Honor Museum Foundation. While clearing a block of houses in Fallujah, David and his soldiers walked into a fortified ambush. He describes it as a “house ready to blow up”. [...]