RAISES OVER $60,000 FOR VETERANS
Wilmington, Ohio Event Sponsored By R+L Carriers Spreads Awareness For Veterans Issues
WILMINGTON, Ohio. (October 17, 2016)
– The Flight Deck Veterans Group and Cherrybend Pheasant Farm, in
partnership with R+L Carriers, hosted the 2016 Operation Cherrybend
event which raised over $60,000 on Saturday, October 8. Net proceeds of
this event will fund other veteran events including survivor outreach
activities, local 5-Star events and next year’s concert.
The annual event featured platinum-selling country band, Lonestar,
and special guest Jared Ashley at The Murphy Theatre. Songwriters Marine
Corps. veteran Sal Gonzalez, Marine Corps. veteran Daniel Dean and
Jerry Adams joined in a songwriters in the round to kick off the
concert. Former WWE Superstar and star of the movie “The Marine 2,” Ted
DiBiase Jr., showed his support at the event. Jason Koger, the first
bilateral arm amputee in the world to receive bionic hands controlled by
an app, was also in attendance.
Operation Cherrybend was founded in 2015 by Nashville recording
artist and U.S. Navy veteran, Jared Ashley, in partnership with the
Ellis family, owners of Cherrybend Pheasant Farm, a 640 acre hunting
preserve in Wilmington, Ohio. Ashley is also the founder of The Flight
Deck Veterans Group, an organization created to promote camaraderie
between veterans. The mission of Operation Cherrybend is to thank our
nation’s veterans and spread awareness about veteran’s issues.
The Nick Erdy Foundation generously donated tickets to the concert on
Saturday so veterans and active duty military personnel could attend
for free. The foundation was established in honor of Lance Corporal Nick
Erdy, a local Ohio hero that lost his life while serving in Iraq in
2005.
Operation Cherrybend hosted a Hero’s Party on Friday night to honor
local and visiting veterans. Ashley and Beth Ellis, co-owner of
Cherrybend Pheasant Farm, announced the launch of Cherrybend Guitars, a
line of custom guitars to be donated to wounded veterans at rehab
centers like the Walter Reed National Military Medical Center.
Ashley, along with Sergeant Major Overstreet, the 12th Sergeant Major
of the Marine Corps., granted Ellis, co-founder of Operation
Cherrybend, the honor of a lifetime membership to The U.S. Navy Flight
Deck Veterans Group as a civilian. Ellis was recognized for her devotion
to the United States Armed Forces and her service to military veterans.
“Operation Cherrybend is an event made possible by the generosity of
our community with individual and business sponsors. R+L Carriers served
as this year’s title sponsor and is committed to honoring our veterans.
Liberty Creek Wine graciously sponsored the VIP Experience for
concert-goers. I’m so humbled by the donations and volunteer hours our
community put in for this event. Twenty-two veterans take their lives
everyday. To all veterans and active duty military personnel, we want
you to know how grateful we are for your service. Thank you,” said
Ellis.
Sergeant Major Overstreet, the concert emcee and military guest,
received the key to the city of Wilmington from Mayor John Stanforth
during the concert. Featured artists, Lonestar performed and were joined
by Operation Cherrybend co-founder and singer-songwriter, Jared Ashley.
Ashley said of the featured artists, “Growing up they were one of my
biggest influences, and it was such an honor and privilege to share the
stage with them, especially for such a great cause.”
Though excited by the event’s success, Ashley is already thinking about its future.
“Operation Cherrybend, although in its infancy, is doing big things
and I can’t wait until next year. In the meantime, we look forward to
expanding the event to Arlington, Texas with a special show that we will
announce in the coming months,” Ashley said.
About Operation Cherrybend
The mission of Operation Cherrybend is to thank veterans for their
courage, selflessness and sacrifice to our country. “The more we educate
the general public about the trials and ongoing challenges of wounded
veterans, and veterans in general, the better understanding the public
will have in order to meet their needs,” explains Beth Ellis, co-owner
of Cherrybend Pheasant Farm. Twenty-two American veterans commit suicide
daily, which Ashley hopes to bring awareness to and help change.
About the Flight Deck Veterans Group
The objective of the Flight Deck Veterans Group is to promote
camaraderie between veterans of US Military Flight Deck Service. In
doing so the goal is to support one another and pass on the history and
legacy of our veterans and flight deck operations to each other and the
public.
The Flight Deck Veterans Group is a veterans based volunteer driven,
registered 501(c)(3) non-profit. Donations to Operation Cherrybend are
tax-deductible to the extent allowed by law. To find out more about the
Flight Deck Veterans Group please visit www.fdvg.org.