October 1, 2019 – REDMOND, WA
This year, Wounded Warriors Family Support (WWFS) will provide a vehicle to combat-wounded veterans of the Makah Tribe, from the Olympic Peninsula of Washington State, in partnership with Microsoft Corp. A gift of a Ford Explorer will be presented to veterans at the Makah Tribe to help enhance their access to mobility and medical care, the fourth vehicle donated to local groups in three years by WWFS with support from Microsoft. This year, Microsoft Services employees will volunteer with WWFS to raise awareness of the effort and gain support through employee contributions by taking the vehicle on a cross-country road trip, traveling over 5,000 miles and stopping in 16+ cities at Microsoft corporate offices. Along the way, the public is encouraged to sign the truck with notes of encouragement and support for the Makah Tribe.
American Indians have proudly worn our nation’s uniform in every conflict and have served with distinction for over two hundred years. Native Americans have the highest percentage serving in the United States military than any other ethnic group in the US.
According to the Department of Defense:
– 31,000 American Indian and Alaska Native men and women are on active duty today, serving in Iraq, Afghanistan, and elsewhere around the world.
– 140,000 living Native Americans are veterans. 11.5 percent of these veterans are female, as compared to 8 percent of all other ethnicities.
– 18.6 percent of Native Americans served in the post- 9/11 period in a higher percentage than veterans of other ethnicities.
The Makah Tribe was nominated by the US Bureau of Indian Affairs to be the recipient of the Ford Explorer vehicle by WWFS. The Makah Tribe is based in Neah Bay in Washington State. They are about 180 miles and 5-6 hours (including a ferry ride) away from the nearest Veterans Affairs medical facility in Seattle. This vehicle will make a huge difference in transporting those not capable of driving themselves to medical appointments.
Microsoft’s Giving Campaign matches employee donations of time and money to nonprofit organizations, up to $15,000 a year per employee. In 2018, U.S. employees raised a record-breaking $163 million (inclusive of company match) for 21,500 nonprofits and schools around the globe.
About the Makah Tribe
Until historic times, the Makah Tribe was composed of five principal winter villages. The prehistoric population of the Makah was estimated to be between approximately 2000 – 4000 people. Today there are roughly 1500 living in and around Neah Bay, WA. The five villages were located on the shores of the Pacific Ocean and the Strait of Juan de Fuca. These villages were composed of large cedar plank longhouses, which housed many members of an extended family. The social units of Makah life were large extended families. Cultural information was vested in these families, as were inherited cultural privileges, or “tupat” such as ownership of songs, dances, stories, land and ocean resources, and cultural information. Such “tupat” was and is today, owned not by the Makah as a whole, but by Makah families and individuals within the Family. (Information © 2003 MCRC)
Today, the Makah still practice their ancient heritage, teach language start to children, hold dance practices and participate in canoe journeys. They continue to pass down the ancient songs of their ancestors and new songs are composed to commemorate important events in their lives.
About Wounded Warriors Family Support
The mission of Wounded Warriors Family Support (WWFS) is to provide support to the families of those who have been wounded, injured or killed during combat operations. The families of our casualties suffer in many ways: some financially, some psychologically, and the overwhelming stress of the recovery process can threaten to tear a family apart. Programs include: The NAVSTaR program which directly supports vehicles to Native American Tribes throughout the United States; a Family Retreat program to provide vacation retreats free of charge; a Caregiver Respite Program to provide respite and supplemental services nationwide to the caregivers and families of wounded war veterans; and the “Mobility is Freedom” program which provides grants to qualified combat-wounded veterans for the purchase of a Ford vehicle, specially adapted to suit veterans who are paralyzed or have lost legs or arms. To learn more or to make a donation, go online to www.wwfs.org.
Contacts
Wounded Warriors Family Support
John D. Folsom, Col. USMCR (Ret.)
Founder and President
(402) 502-7557
johnfolsom@wwfs.org
https://www.wwfs.org
Makah Tribal Council
Brittany Olson
Office of the General Manager
(360) 645-2201
Brittany.Olson@makah.com
https://makah.com
Full List of Events / Stops
For more details and the full list of events & tour stops in the 16+ US cities, visit the #DriveTheJourney Facebook Group (https://www.facebook.com/groups/DriveTheJourney/) or email info@drivethejourney.org.
As of press time, stops and/or events are planned in the following cities:
| DATE | EVENT CITY |
|---|---|
| TUESDAY, OCTOBER 1 | Burlington, MA (Kickoff Event) |
| TUESDAY, OCTOBER 1 | Iselin, NJ |
| WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 2 | Reston, VA |
| THURSDAY, OCTOBER 3 | Charlotte, NC |
| FRIDAY, OCTOBER 4 | Alpharetta, GA |
| MONDAY, OCTOBER 7 | Irving, TX (Los Colinas) |
| TUESDAY, OCTOBER 8 | Austin, TX |
| TUESDAY, OCTOBER 8 | San Antonio, TX |
| THURSDAY, OCTOBER 10 | Tempe, AZ |
| FRIDAY, OCTOBER 11 | San Diego, CA |
| FRIDAY, OCTOBER 11 | Irvine, CA |
| MONDAY, OCTOBER 14 | Sunnyvale, CA |
| MONDAY, OCTOBER 15 | Sacramento, CA |
| WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 16 | Salem, OR |
| WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 16 | Lacey, WA |
| THURSDAY, OCTOBER 17 | Redmond, WA (Presentation Event) |
