War puts radical strains on military families. One South Dakota native cares enough about the sacrifices made by veterans and their families that she’s doing something radical to help reestablish their personal connections. Dr. Annette Bosworth is ready to give away the farm.
Putting the farm on the line isn’t a new idea for Dr. Bosworth. Last spring, she raffled land to benefit several local health care initiatives she spearheads. This time around, she’s focusing her innovative fundraising event on a single group—the men and women of the 114th Fighter Wing Security Force Squadron of the South Dakota Air National Guard. You can help!
Since May of this year, they have been deployed to the Middle East in support of Operation Enduring Freedom. One soldier of that unit, SSgt. Ryan McNamara is currently in his fourth deployment with the Guard. And that is the main reason his wife, Terra, is so involved with this project—she knows the challenges the families of deployed military personnel face every day.
"My husband and others make sacrifices every single day to make sure our country is safe. We are so proud of them, so we gladly make the sacrifices too,” Terra McNamara said.
When these brave soldiers return to South Dakota at the end of their tour, Dr. Bosworth wants to welcome them with an all-expense-paid trip to an Alaska fishing resort. Each member of the unit will be encouraged to invite family members to share the adventure and use the time to reconnect.
"For returning veterans to successfully adjust to their home lives after a deployment, the whole family needs time to readjust," said Dr. Annette Bosworth.
"Meaningful Heroes takes 'Support Our Troops' beyond the bumper sticker. This is a movement with a big payoff for everyone involved," Dr. Bosworth explains. "By contributing $1,000, a donor earns the opportunity to enter one of two drawings. We're giving away the farm—80 acres in Moody County, SD, three miles from Trent—and we're raffling Harley-Davidson® bikes."
Winners may opt for a cash prize in lieu of the land or motorcycle--$250,000 or $15,000, respectively. There will be 35 $1,000 tickets sold per bike raffled and 500 $1,000 tickets for the land raffle.
You can choose to enter either the land raffle or the motorcycle raffle. Or, simply elect to contribute to this cause with no expectation of return beyond knowing you’re honoring a South Dakota hero. Contributions are accepted (and raffle tickets sold) through this website. Click to purchase now!