WEBVTT - Helping Heroes When They Need it the Most.  Sandra Lehmkuhler Talks to A&G

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<v Speaker 1>From the Abraham Lincoln Radio Studio and the George Washington

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<v Speaker 1>Broadcast Center, Armstrong, Lady Armstrong and Jetty Show. And this

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<v Speaker 1>is a big week for us, a big week for you,

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<v Speaker 1>opportunity to do something good helping out Warrior Foundation Freedom Station.

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<v Speaker 1>I'll let you a litttle pitch before you even know

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<v Speaker 1>what we're talking about, and that this time of year.

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<v Speaker 1>Speaking for myself, but I think I'm speaking for a

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<v Speaker 1>lot of people. There's a tendency to throw around a

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<v Speaker 1>little dough on yourself, whether you're eating out or buying

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<v Speaker 1>this or that, or you're going somewhere or whatever, little

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<v Speaker 1>self indulgence this time of year. How about you through

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<v Speaker 1>a little money towards something good. YEP. Warrior Foundation Freedom

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<v Speaker 1>Station a fantastic organization that serves our nation's heroes when

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<v Speaker 1>they need it the most. The seriously injured, post traumatic

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<v Speaker 1>stress and traumatic brain injury victims, those undergoing physical or

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<v Speaker 1>occupational therapy, transitioning warriors have been medically retired in our

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<v Speaker 1>in the community, trying to figure out at that just

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<v Speaker 1>rough moment of their lives what they're going to do

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<v Speaker 1>with the rest of their lives. And Warrior Foundation Freedom

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<v Speaker 1>Station performs miracles and saves lives every day and is

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<v Speaker 1>incredibly efficient with your money. Uh. To tell you a

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<v Speaker 1>little more and to get things rolling officially, please welcome

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<v Speaker 1>back to the Armstrong and Getty Show. Sandy lem Cooler,

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<v Speaker 1>the CEO and founder of Warrior Foundation Freedom Station. Hello, Sandy,

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<v Speaker 1>how are you hi? Mary? Christmas? You guys, we can

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<v Speaker 1>say that right, sure, absolutely, you can say anything on

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<v Speaker 1>our show you want. And and one of the reasons,

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<v Speaker 1>Sandy says, Merry Christmas. Well, we'll let you explain. What

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<v Speaker 1>does Warrior Foundation Freedom Station do every Christmas? That's so special? Well,

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<v Speaker 1>I have to share with you. And this last year

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<v Speaker 1>in particular, UM, a lot of our warriors are going

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<v Speaker 1>up at the hospital. We're talking about active duty as

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<v Speaker 1>well as medically retired warriors, so it's kind of two

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<v Speaker 1>different segues um. But the warriors up at the Eric's

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<v Speaker 1>Um in particular this year. I go up there every year,

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<v Speaker 1>as I'm up there frequently, but they said, ma'am, we

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<v Speaker 1>really want to go home, we really want to go

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<v Speaker 1>home for Christmas. And these are young warriors. They can't

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<v Speaker 1>afford a flight plus other things that they are paying

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<v Speaker 1>for in life. And I get that the government covers

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<v Speaker 1>a lot of it, but it is still something that

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<v Speaker 1>I think our country can do better. Our country can

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<v Speaker 1>get these young men and young women home to wake

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<v Speaker 1>up in their own bed, with their in their own state,

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<v Speaker 1>with their own family. I mean, who doesn't want that

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<v Speaker 1>flare that tradition of sitting around the table with their family.

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<v Speaker 1>And so they said to me a couple of things, ma'am,

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<v Speaker 1>we really want to go home. Can we go home

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<v Speaker 1>this year again? And I said, I will do my best.

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<v Speaker 1>I will ask Armstrong and Getty, the Secret Santa's of

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<v Speaker 1>the world, help us to help us get these warriors home.

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<v Speaker 1>So we also, you know, we have a foundation that

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<v Speaker 1>also helps our warriors not only during the holidays but

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<v Speaker 1>all year long. And so I just wanted to share

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<v Speaker 1>with you that they're already kind of thinking airplane home,

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<v Speaker 1>big marine blanket, big Navy blanket, big Air Force blanket,

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<v Speaker 1>big Army blanket over their shoulder, getting off the plane

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<v Speaker 1>and having their family there to meet them. And so

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<v Speaker 1>what does it cost an average I know, you keep

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<v Speaker 1>track of this to send a warrior home. Just to

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<v Speaker 1>give people an idea of what their donations are doing.

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<v Speaker 1>I try to average it out. You know, flights are

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<v Speaker 1>all over the place right now, costwise, but truly, about

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<v Speaker 1>six hundred and three dollars is what we're averaging to

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<v Speaker 1>send them home around trip, to send them one way.

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<v Speaker 1>You know what I've got to I've gotta jump in.

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<v Speaker 1>I gotta jump in right here, Sammy, this is how

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<v Speaker 1>careful Warrior Foundation Freedom Station is with your money. You

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<v Speaker 1>ask Sandy what's the average, and she says about six

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<v Speaker 1>d and three dollars. I mean, that is how tight

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<v Speaker 1>they pinched the pennies to make sure every cent of

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<v Speaker 1>your donations goes to the actual heroes. And and you know,

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<v Speaker 1>just another point, A lot of these guys are dealing

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<v Speaker 1>with traumatic physical injuries or brain injuries. They're rehabbing, their

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<v Speaker 1>undergoing surgeries, the rest of it. It's it is definitely

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<v Speaker 1>the hardest time they will ever live in their lives.

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<v Speaker 1>And the idea that we will send them home to

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<v Speaker 1>be with mom and dad and sister and brother and

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<v Speaker 1>see their old buddies and reconnect with who they are

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<v Speaker 1>and and find that strength from their families. I mean,

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<v Speaker 1>you've seen the effect that has, Sandy, I have, and

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<v Speaker 1>I will share with you that you know, luckily, that

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<v Speaker 1>times have changed. We have a little bit different injury

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<v Speaker 1>and sometimes these warriors that are up at the hospital

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<v Speaker 1>are not allowed to be able to go home. So

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<v Speaker 1>we are going to bring in family members, bring them

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<v Speaker 1>to San Diego so that they can be with their

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<v Speaker 1>warrior for the holiday. So it doesn't necessarily have to

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<v Speaker 1>be Christmas. It can be Thanksgiving, it can be New

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<v Speaker 1>Year's But when the doctors allow them to have visitors

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<v Speaker 1>and see their family members, we're going to bring them in.

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<v Speaker 1>And we have a location called Legacy House that we

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<v Speaker 1>put them in if the Fisher House is full, So

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<v Speaker 1>it's not only we send them home, but we bring

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<v Speaker 1>mom or dad here if need be. That's absolutely fantastic.

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<v Speaker 1>By the way, if this is starting to strike a

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<v Speaker 1>chord with you, got Armstrong and Getty dot com. We

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<v Speaker 1>got a big banner there. It's simple to donate, just

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<v Speaker 1>takes you a couple of minutes. Indeed, and you know

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<v Speaker 1>the point I was trying to make a second ago

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<v Speaker 1>is just that, uh, and Sandy has told us about this.

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<v Speaker 1>After that visit home or the folks coming to see

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<v Speaker 1>that that wounded a warrior, um the guys who are

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<v Speaker 1>getting tired and discouraged with their physical therapy and the rehab,

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<v Speaker 1>and they're learning to deal with their prosthetic limbs or whatever.

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<v Speaker 1>It's just a jolt of energy and can really be

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<v Speaker 1>a powerful force for healing. So give as generously as

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<v Speaker 1>you can. Aren't strong and getty dot com. It's extremely

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<v Speaker 1>obvious where to click and the rest of it, and

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<v Speaker 1>and give as generously as you can. They feel unstoppable

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<v Speaker 1>again when they come back. They're just unstoppable. And that's

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<v Speaker 1>what we want our military to know, is that we

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<v Speaker 1>support them and our country loves them, and we want

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<v Speaker 1>them not to see any disability but only see possibility.

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<v Speaker 1>And that's truly what I worked hard for, right Sandy

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<v Speaker 1>lem Cooler, the founder and CEO of Warrior Foundation Freedom Station. Sandy,

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<v Speaker 1>we appreciate it, and we'll talk to you a little

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<v Speaker 1>later in the week. Perfect. Thank you so much. You guys,

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<v Speaker 1>truly you do make their Christmas and you do help

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<v Speaker 1>us make the magic of Christmas. Up in the halls

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<v Speaker 1>of the barracks. We will be decorating up there early

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<v Speaker 1>so that they can kind of get in the spirit. Awesome, excellent, excellent, alright, terrific. Well,

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<v Speaker 1>the folks get the credit, go to Armstrong and get

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<v Speaker 1>dot com and and just you know, real quickly, I

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<v Speaker 1>think there are probably you folks are so aware of

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<v Speaker 1>what's going on in the world and the news and

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<v Speaker 1>the rest of it that you're thinking, well, wait a minute.

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<v Speaker 1>Where I mean, there are the terrible injuries and deaths

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<v Speaker 1>in Afghanistan, but that's over more or less, and Iraq

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<v Speaker 1>is mostly over. So is there a need? You know,

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<v Speaker 1>we've talked about this. We are in something like eighty countries,

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<v Speaker 1>it might be more eight now. Some of them are nice,

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<v Speaker 1>stable military bases where you know, there's not a lot

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<v Speaker 1>of fighting going on. There's lots of training, which can

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<v Speaker 1>be dangerous and that sort of thing. But we have

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<v Speaker 1>special forces, we have Navy seals, we have marines all

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<v Speaker 1>over the world engaging al qaied to al shabab Uh.

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<v Speaker 1>It's stuff we're never gonna hear about. And the need continues.

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<v Speaker 1>So again, good arm Strong and Gutta dot com. And

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<v Speaker 1>also in terms of the location where you foundation Freedom

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<v Speaker 1>Station in the San Diego area, but wherever you're listening

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<v Speaker 1>in the country, you could have you know, somebody graduated

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<v Speaker 1>from your local high school joined the military, went to

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<v Speaker 1>Iraq or Afghanistan or any of the places Joe mentioned

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<v Speaker 1>and needs the benefit of Warrior Foundation Freedom Station and

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<v Speaker 1>they end up in San Diego. So I mean it's

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<v Speaker 1>a it's a nationwide thing. Well right, yeah, that's the

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<v Speaker 1>one of the super giant military hospitals. Um. And it's

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<v Speaker 1>uh and yeah, I don't know. If you're familiar with

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<v Speaker 1>the military, you go where they tell you to go.

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<v Speaker 1>So we're gonna try to raise a half a million

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<v Speaker 1>dollars just off the Armstrong and Getty show by itself,

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<v Speaker 1>which is a big ask. I mean, that's a lot

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<v Speaker 1>of money. Um. I'm at the website and we are

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<v Speaker 1>currently at now we just kicked this off like an

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<v Speaker 1>hour ago. We're currently at eighteen thousand dollars on our

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<v Speaker 1>way to five hundred. But you know, obviously we need

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<v Speaker 1>to average about a hundred grand a day to get there. Uh.

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<v Speaker 1>We like the tradition. Hopefully that can get going of

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<v Speaker 1>people with wacky names when they donate, because you can

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<v Speaker 1>put whatever you want to show up. I mean, you

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<v Speaker 1>can be anonymous if you want to donate anonymously, but

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<v Speaker 1>if you want to have a wacky name in there,

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<v Speaker 1>that's that's pretty common. Um. You know, Cornpop eight hundred

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<v Speaker 1>dollars whatever. Sure, Sure, the Hunt Hunter Biden's School of Art,

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<v Speaker 1>and we might be right. And what we've seen in

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<v Speaker 1>the past is a lot of people end up donating

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<v Speaker 1>money just to get their wacky name mentioned. So people donate,

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<v Speaker 1>you know, might donate dollars really just they could get

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<v Speaker 1>But that's fine. It all adds up so act. So

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<v Speaker 1>we get enough few people that think you're funny with

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<v Speaker 1>your wacky names, everybody donate, and five bucks at a time,

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<v Speaker 1>we end up with a heck of a lot of money.

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<v Speaker 1>But I'm looking at some of the donations already. Here's

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<v Speaker 1>a supporter who donated two thousand dollars, Thank you very much.

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<v Speaker 1>It's freaking awesome. But plenty of twenty five dollars and

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<v Speaker 1>all that sort of stuff. Charlotte Bailey bucks, thank you

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<v Speaker 1>very much. Thanks Charlotte. But we'll be talking about this

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<v Speaker 1>all week long. Something tells me a certain young Brandon

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<v Speaker 1>it's going to be very generous this year. Oh boy,

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<v Speaker 1>let's go, Brandon. Brandon might donate half the money that

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<v Speaker 1>we end up with. Tho