Wounded Warrior Fundraiser Stops in Easley

Residents had a chance to help raise money for wounded warriors Sunday afternoon while checking out a cool ride. 

The Wounded Warriors Family Support Mustang stopped at Sport Clips Haircuts in Easley as part of the High Five Tour 2013.

Visitors to Sport Clips had a chance to sign the car and donate to the cause. The tour stopped in several Upstate locations Sunday.

Kevin Brown with Wounded Warriors Family Support said the tour kicked off on June 24.

The red, white and blue, 850 horsepower 2013 Mustang GT500 “Super Snake” will be visiting 48 states on the tour, he said.

“It'll roll through September,” Brown said.

After traveling to Columbia on Tuesday, the Mustang will travel to North Carolina and Virginia.

Brown said the response so far has been huge.

“It's been just great, lots of people donating, signing the vehicle,” Brown said. “We've had some that have had family members that have been lost in Afghanistan. We ask them to sign the car in gold ink, whereas everyone else signs in silver.

Wounded Warrior Family Support picks up where medicine leaves off, Brown said.

“Doctors and medicine can only do so much for our wounded combat soldiers,” Brown said. “Wounded Warrior Family Support tries to pick up where medicine can't, building smart home specifically designed for two combat-wounded soldiers. Both have lost three limbs and their homes are being built to suit their needs.”

Easley Sport Clips' Barbara Moore said Sport Clips' founder, Gordon Logan, is retired from the Air Force.

“So we always support the military,” she said. “Anytime we can come up with something that's worthwhile, we get involved with. The Wounded Warrior Family Support, 100 percent of the donations go to the families, which is unusual. There are a lot of copycats out there so we really vet which ones we want to get involved with.”

One of the veterans the project is raising money for lives in Fayetteville, NC.
“Staff Sergeant John Masson,” Moore said. “He lost both of his legs and his arm and he's doing great. He's everything that a hero should be. They're building him a smart house. They've already bought the land and started construction and that's where these funds are going.”

A smart home will also be built for Sgt. Rusty Dunagan of Guthrie, Okla.

Commander Dick Meyers with American Legion Post 52, as well as Adjutant Paul Smith and 2nd Vice Commander Jay Smith came out to assist at the event.

“Anybody that's truly interested in the well-being of veterans and Wounded Warriors and their families, we're for them, we're behind them,” Meyers said. “We came out to support them.”

Meyers said the Easley Sport Clips location is “good to veterans year-round.”

“They give discounts to the VFW and American Legion people,” Meyers said.

Moore agreed.

“We give military discounts,” she said. “If they come here and just show that they're either retired or active duty, they get what we call the VFW discount, which is $4 off a haircut or any hair-cutting service.”

She said Sport Clips partners with the VFW in the fall to provide phone calls “so all our vets can call home for free.”

Meyers and the other American Legion officials presented Sport Clips with a letter of appreciation and a flag to display in the store to thank them for their support of the military and veterans.

For more information on the High Five Tour 2013, including the tour’s schedule and how to donate, visit www.HighFiveTour.com. Wounded Warriors Family Support will continue to provide timely updates about the tour on Facebook and Twitter. For more information about Wounded Warriors Family Support, visit www.wwfs.org.