Traveling tribute to wounded warriors hits downtown Indy
INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) – A traveling message of support for wounded warriors rolled through Indianapolis Thursday.
A nonprofit called Wounded Warriors Family Support is sending a car to 100 cities over five months. It’s called the High Five Tour and one goal is to raise $1 million to help wounded soldiers.
Drivers moving through downtown spotted the car — decorated with stars and stripes — on the side of E. Washington Street.
“The seats are comfortable, the ride is great,” volunteer Kevin Foley said.
Foley is a U.S. Air Force veteran and one of several drivers taking the car across the country for Wounded Warriors Family Support. He drove the car to Indy from Detroit.
He encourages people to sign a message of support and donate whatever they can.
“Anything I can do — anything we can do — to support them when they come home, that’s a no brainer for me. That’s what we should be doing,” Foley said.
Donations will help the group pay for retreats for veterans and their families. They also provide food and lodging for some veterans training for the workforce.
Wounded Warriors Family Support even pays to install hand controls in cars so wounded veterans can drive.
“This is how we advertise what we do and the response we get every day in just amazing,” Foley said of the High Five Tour.
So many messages cover the car that Remle Vincent struggled to find a blank space to write. After a few minutes of searching, he found a small opening.
“I just put thank you,” Vincent said. “It’s a good feeling to see that many people supporting this.”
Patty Cooper kept her message short.
She wrote one word in Army slang: hooah.
“My son was in the Army,” she said. “I support all the veterans and I wouldn’t be standing here today without each and every one of them.”
“I think this shows that Americans are more united than ever in terms of taking care of the military,” Foley said.
Cooper and Vincent both work at the Indianapolis office for a company called Assurant, which has donated thousands of dollars to Wounded Warrior Family Support.
You can donate online at highfivetour.com.