WEBVTT - Sandy Lehmkuhler Kicks Off Warrior Foundation Freedom Station Radiothon

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<v Speaker 1>We decided years ago, Joe and I to um what

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<v Speaker 1>one we thought, we gotta we gotta take the success

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<v Speaker 1>of this radio show and do something positive with it,

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<v Speaker 1>because every day it's just endless negativity, uh, just just

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<v Speaker 1>making the world at worst place to live. So we

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<v Speaker 1>could do something positive with all the with all the

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<v Speaker 1>yucks and uh and uh and and ask for some

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<v Speaker 1>money for a good charity. But we we didn't want

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<v Speaker 1>to do it on a regular so we just side.

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<v Speaker 1>You know, once a year, we're gonna really really tell people, Look,

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<v Speaker 1>this is a charity. We've really checked out, we really

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<v Speaker 1>believe in, they really realize your money. Well, I'm just

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<v Speaker 1>gonna ask you once. We don't come to you all

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<v Speaker 1>the time. Let's see what we can do. And that

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<v Speaker 1>cause is Warrior Foundation Freedom Station, which is an absolutely

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<v Speaker 1>breathtakingly effective and efficient organization that helps are active duty

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<v Speaker 1>military people uh in transition into retirement, those who are

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<v Speaker 1>medically retired, and others with a variety of programs. Uh.

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<v Speaker 1>The way Jack and I have always looked at this

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<v Speaker 1>is that the idea that you've got the military over

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<v Speaker 1>there and then the people of the United States over

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<v Speaker 1>here is unhealthy and it's wrong. We the people have

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<v Speaker 1>to be supporting our military. We have to be serving

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<v Speaker 1>our country by helping them, whether it's giving our time

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<v Speaker 1>or making a donation this week, I just think it's

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<v Speaker 1>a patriotic duty. The way I see that, you're gonna

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<v Speaker 1>hear some from some of our veterans this week who

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<v Speaker 1>did multiple tours in Iraq or Afghanistan and then we're

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<v Speaker 1>struggling to transition back to regular life and needed some help.

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<v Speaker 1>And this is how you help them. I mean, God,

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<v Speaker 1>danmgn it, like Jojah said, I mean, who who do

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<v Speaker 1>we owe more than this? And um all week longer

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<v Speaker 1>been raising money for Warrior Foundation Freedom Station. It's real easy.

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<v Speaker 1>You go to Armstrong and getty dot com. We've made

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<v Speaker 1>the bannery is super easy to find. You couldn't miss it.

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<v Speaker 1>It just takes a couple of minutes to to to

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<v Speaker 1>donate money. Sandy lem Cooler is the CEO and founder

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<v Speaker 1>of Warrior Foundation Freedom Station and it has been its

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<v Speaker 1>guiding life for many, many years and is a good friend. Sandy, welcome,

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<v Speaker 1>how are you? Good morning? I'm I'm wonderful and I

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<v Speaker 1>just want to say thank you again so much for

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<v Speaker 1>everything that you've done for our warriors. And it's not

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<v Speaker 1>just you know you you said this in your in

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<v Speaker 1>your intro, it's actually the active duty right now that

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<v Speaker 1>have a little bit different types of injuries and illnesses,

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<v Speaker 1>thank goodness, but they're still the ones that we're helping

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<v Speaker 1>to transition. And so anyone who makes a donation, first

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<v Speaker 1>of all, I want you to know that seventy eight

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<v Speaker 1>point six percent of every dollar goes right to our warriors.

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<v Speaker 1>I still won't take a salary. That's my patriotic duty, right,

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<v Speaker 1>So I just want people to know that being a

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<v Speaker 1>Navy wife and a Navy mom, I don't just pinch

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<v Speaker 1>a penny. I make it scream bloody murder. So I

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<v Speaker 1>will ensure that any money so that come in go

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<v Speaker 1>directly to our warriors and really do make a difference

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<v Speaker 1>in their lives. So, Sandy, can you run down the

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<v Speaker 1>roster of programs that Warrior Foundation Freedom Station supports and runs,

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<v Speaker 1>from the you know, the home for the holidays to

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<v Speaker 1>the rehab just just the checklist if you would. Sure. Um,

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<v Speaker 1>we generally meet our warriors up in the military hospitals,

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<v Speaker 1>active duty, not the v A, and we help them

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<v Speaker 1>with all kinds of wonderful quality of life items up

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<v Speaker 1>in the barracks areas including Palo Alto and Hawaii and

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<v Speaker 1>you know, the Southwestern region basically anywhere if there is

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<v Speaker 1>a warrior really in need that meets our criteria. So

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<v Speaker 1>this year, we're hoping, with your help, to be able

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<v Speaker 1>to fly every one of our ill and injured warriors

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<v Speaker 1>home to wake up in their own bed, their own state,

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<v Speaker 1>with their own family Christmas morning. We hope to give

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<v Speaker 1>them some Christmas gifts, UM, great big, beautiful navy blankets

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<v Speaker 1>and marine blankets, and we give them hospital pillows. For

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<v Speaker 1>the last two years, with the COVID situation, we have

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<v Speaker 1>been actually providing food up in the barracks areas just

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<v Speaker 1>to give them a break from the galley. UM. We

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<v Speaker 1>also have UM. We have warriors that we help when

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<v Speaker 1>they first get home. UM. And even if they're not

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<v Speaker 1>getting home right now, we have ellen injured UM a

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<v Speaker 1>lot more cancer than I care to admit to. UM.

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<v Speaker 1>We don't know if that's the burn pit situation showing,

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<v Speaker 1>but we are flying parents in. We have had injuries

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<v Speaker 1>while they are in training, because what does our military do.

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<v Speaker 1>They're either fighting at war or their training to fight

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<v Speaker 1>at war. So we had a helo hard landing. We've

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<v Speaker 1>got a warrior that's paralyzed. We've got other warriors that

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<v Speaker 1>were injured that have had to have their legs amputated.

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<v Speaker 1>We provide boots with zippers, we provide wheelchairs when needed

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<v Speaker 1>it UM again, that's after they transition out. The government

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<v Speaker 1>is taking care of our military. UM. We provide transitional housing.

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<v Speaker 1>So we have little cottages that are set up and

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<v Speaker 1>we get the warriors as they're getting out, not before

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<v Speaker 1>they're out, and we move them into a cottage that's

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<v Speaker 1>decked out right down to the place mats on the tables.

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<v Speaker 1>They're close to the military hospitals up by Palo up

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<v Speaker 1>at Hawaii, UM up in San Diego, UM that type

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<v Speaker 1>of a thing. And that way they can get up,

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<v Speaker 1>put on their uniforms, go up, do their medical, do

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<v Speaker 1>their military and then come back home at night. And

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<v Speaker 1>and this gives them a chance to to take a

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<v Speaker 1>breath and decide what do they want to do. Do

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<v Speaker 1>they want to go to college, Do they want to

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<v Speaker 1>go learn a trade, work for workshop for warriors? What

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<v Speaker 1>is it that they want to do? Do they want

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<v Speaker 1>to get involved in a lot of our athletic outdoor

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<v Speaker 1>programs do they want to be involved in UM working

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<v Speaker 1>with the foundation and networking through our foundation. So basically,

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<v Speaker 1>we help those ill and injured that are just coming home.

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<v Speaker 1>We helped the warriors with PTS and t b I.

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<v Speaker 1>We helped the warriors that live up in the barracks

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<v Speaker 1>still in our waiting to get their d D two

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<v Speaker 1>fourteen and their findings and move on in life. And

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<v Speaker 1>we helped the warriors with transitional housing. But basically, if

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<v Speaker 1>there is a need and we find out about it

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<v Speaker 1>through the military, we are able to help the military

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<v Speaker 1>provide what the government can't or won't. And honestly, Joe,

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<v Speaker 1>we know we can do it a lot quicker with

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<v Speaker 1>a lot less bureaucratic times, right, I think a lot

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<v Speaker 1>of people that some of our guys. Yeah, we have indeed,

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<v Speaker 1>and the success stories are absolutely wonderful and heartening, and

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<v Speaker 1>you know, we like to focus on the positive, but

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<v Speaker 1>there are a lot of real sad, heartbreaking stories about

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<v Speaker 1>folks who whether it's a physical or neurological injury or

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<v Speaker 1>just losing the sense of self and teamwork in the military. UM.

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<v Speaker 1>You know, they go into loneliness and despair and whether

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<v Speaker 1>it's suicide or drug addiction, living on the streets, that

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<v Speaker 1>sort of thing. This is what we're trying to prevent.

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<v Speaker 1>And instead of loneliness and despair, you know, the brotherhood

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<v Speaker 1>and sisterhood, freedom station, excitement about the future, counseling, that

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<v Speaker 1>sort of thing. It's just it's changing lives every single day.

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<v Speaker 1>That's and we're excited about it. And I'm going to

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<v Speaker 1>share with you guys. UM We had Freedom Station one

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<v Speaker 1>and it worked out so well. We organized and purchased

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<v Speaker 1>Freedom Station two, and in August of this year we

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<v Speaker 1>just acquired a third property. And this property is going

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<v Speaker 1>to be as strong and wonderful and have the greatest

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<v Speaker 1>barbecue areas for brotherhood kind of barbecues, and that's where

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<v Speaker 1>a lot of that that help happens. One warrior helps

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<v Speaker 1>another warrior a lot of times, and it's just like

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<v Speaker 1>kind of being back up in there with their unit.

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<v Speaker 1>They have a big barbecue at night, they all sit

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<v Speaker 1>around and talk. That's the beauty of it. And we

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<v Speaker 1>bring in UM. Our new president is Andrew Gasper, absolutely phenomenal.

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<v Speaker 1>Has worked seventeen years in the field of UM Allen

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<v Speaker 1>injured Warriors. He is amazing, mentoring, he knows his stuff.

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<v Speaker 1>He was a marine. Um. He knows what to say,

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<v Speaker 1>when to say it, and how to say it. And

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<v Speaker 1>he is a motivator extraordinaire. So he organizes group meetings

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<v Speaker 1>for all of our warriors and if they choose to come,

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<v Speaker 1>they can learn about finance, they can learn about job interviews.

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<v Speaker 1>We still take our warriors when they find out it's

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<v Speaker 1>a tough day that they're going to be getting out

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<v Speaker 1>of the military because of a medical reason or or

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<v Speaker 1>an illness. Um. Losing that uniform is losing their sense

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<v Speaker 1>of purpose, and so we take them over to the

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<v Speaker 1>men's warehouse, and this is where everybody's donation comes in.

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<v Speaker 1>We get them decked out in a new suit. We

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<v Speaker 1>get them decked out for interviews. Sometimes a guy said

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<v Speaker 1>to me the other day, ma'am, I'm going to wear

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<v Speaker 1>this to my wedding. I said, well, let's get you

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<v Speaker 1>another one. So you never know how you're going to

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<v Speaker 1>impact people, and it is fun to watch as you

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<v Speaker 1>look back. You know, a lot of our warriors have

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<v Speaker 1>been very successful. Mike Spivey has gone to the Olympics

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<v Speaker 1>twice paralympick ing for our you know, for the United States.

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<v Speaker 1>He said to me one day, ma'am, I'm going to

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<v Speaker 1>find a way to put that flag back on my sleeve.

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<v Speaker 1>He did. He is a United States surfer I'm sorry,

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<v Speaker 1>surf boarder and he um uh. He's just an amazing man.

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<v Speaker 1>He's like number thirteen in the world. And this is

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<v Speaker 1>an amputee that we've helped and you know he can golf, right,

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<v Speaker 1>you guys know so Sandy, I'm Cooler, CEO and founder

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<v Speaker 1>of Warrior Foundation Freedom Station. Sandy. We're going to talk

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<v Speaker 1>to some of the guys and gals throughout the week

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<v Speaker 1>to share their stories with the people. But we're going

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<v Speaker 1>to do our best. Thanks for spending some time this morning.

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<v Speaker 1>Thank you so much and appreciate everything that you guys

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<v Speaker 1>are doing for us. And we look forward to having

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<v Speaker 1>you come down whenever you get a chance to come

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<v Speaker 1>down to our area. Um, we'll meet up there in

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<v Speaker 1>the l A area wherever you want to meet. While

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<v Speaker 1>the guy said anywhere they're they're like, we aren't. We'll

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<v Speaker 1>make it happen, all right, We'll make it happen. Thanks Sandy,

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<v Speaker 1>bar and