Cedar Creek Veterans Foundation Press Releases
PRESS RELEASE—11/11/2010 FOR PUBLICATION 11/30/2010
CONTACT INFO: Bob O’Neil, (903)681-4546
The Cedar Creek Veterans Foundation presented a check for $20,000 to Lydia Henderson, Program Director of the Fisher House in Dallas, on November 29th. The donation is double that given to the non-profit by the Foundation a year ago and represents the proceeds from the Thunder Over Cedar Creek Lake Air Show held on July 3rd and other fundraising events during 2010. The Fisher House in Dallas, located adjacent to the VA Medical Center, provides free housing for families of injured military and veterans receiving treatment and rehabilitative services. The ongoing needs of the nearly 50 Fisher Houses in the United States and Germany are entirely supported by donations. Because the Dallas Fisher House is always full, there is also an urgent need to raise funds for a second house.
Bob O’Neil President of the Cedar Creek Veterans Foundation said, “We are thrilled that our volunteer efforts are able to make a significant contribution to such a worthwhile cause and very grateful to all of our supporters especially our fellow residents and the management of the Pinnacle Club.” Joining Bob at the presentation were Randy Ball, Karen Boyd, Patty Evans, Mark Fankhauser, Gary Freer, Gayle Robinson and Linda Thompson, some of the officers and board members of the Foundation. Dick Agnew, Commander of the Legion of Valor’s DFW Chapter and a Director of the VFW Foundation, was also in attendance along with other staff members of the VA North Texas Health Care System, Fisher House and the volunteer organizations which support the VA medical complex. Agnew, a retired Army Major and holder of the Distinguished Service Cross for his actions in Korea, has been a tireless fundraiser for the Fisher House in Dallas and other veterans causes.
The Cedar Creek Veterans Foundation was established in 2009 by some residents of the Pinnacle Club in Mabank on Cedar Creek Lake to raise money for well-established non-profits providing support services to military and veterans and their families particularly those from East Texas who were injured in combat operations in Afghanistan and Iraq. The signature event of the Foundation is the Thunder Over Cedar Creek Lake Air Show over 4th of July weekend which was viewed by over 50,000 people. The air show was started several years ago by Board member and MiG-17 owner and pilot Randy Ball and is one of very few shows performed over water. In addition to the MiG-17, prior shows have featured an F-16 demonstration team, C–17, the Tora Tora Tora group, C–130, an L-29, B-52 bomber, three of only about a dozen B-25’s still flying and many others. Although the Foundation relies primarily on donations, last spring it also held a fundraising gala dinner and dance, “From Texas to Tinseltown,” and a golf tournament with celebrity guest actor Jae Head, who played SJ Tuohy in the movie “The Blind Side.”
The 2011 Thunder Over Cedar Creek Lake Air Show will be held on Saturday, July 2, 2011 starting at 6 pm and a benefit golf tournament will take place at Pinnacle Club on Monday, May 23, 2011. For more information or to donate contact Bob O’Neil, CCVF President, at 903-681-4546 or go to the CCVF website at www.ccveteransfoundation.org or www.tocclairshow.com . The CCVF is a 501(c)(3) organization.
