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Saying Thanks Across Minnesota 2019 Annual Report

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Saying Thanks Across Minnesota 2019 Annual Report Saying Thanks Across Minnesota 2019 Annual Report To subscribe to our e-newsletter, or follow us on Facebook and Twitter, visit www.ThankMNTroops.org Minnesotans’ Military Appreciation Fund P.O. Box 2070, Minneapolis, MN 55402 (877) MN THANX (877-668-4269) Contents Mission Statement 1 Mission Statement Founder Gene Sit 2 A Message From The Chair 3 Minnesotans’ Military Appreciation Fund (MMAF) is a statewide fundraising initiative by the citizens of Minnesota, for Minnesota military personnel and their families. Launched in Statewide Awareness 6 August of 2005, MMAF is a non-partisan, non-political, 501(c)(3) non-profit corporation. The Grant Recipient Profiles 14 mission of MMAF is to say “thanks” to Minnesota service members and their families who are Saying Thanks Makes a Difference 16 making sacrifices in defense of our freedoms in combat zones around the world. MMAF provides cash grants to Minnesota service members who have served Financial Report 18 in a combat zone since September 11, 2001. Grant applications are available online Leadership Group and Service Partnerships 20 at thankmntroops.org. Contributors 22 There are three levels of grant awards: Never Forget 32 • $5,000 to the families of those Minnesotans killed in combat • $2,000 - $10,000 for those Minnesotans wounded in a combat zone, with the amount based on severity of injury • $500 to all Minnesotans who served in a combat zone Since our inception, our volunteers and service partnerships have made it possible for 90 percent of donations to go directly to Minnesota service members in the form of grants. MMAF shows our troops how much we appreciate and respect their service to our country. The mission of MMAF will continue until all of our Minnesota troops come home. Follow us on social media! MMAFThankmnTroops Thankmntroops MMAFThankmnTroops A special "Thanks" to MMAF service partners and printing vendors, who donated or greatly reduced their fees to produce this annual report at a low cost. It helps us continue to direct 90 percent of donations to Minnesota service members. Founder: Eugene Sit A Message From The Chair 1938 -- 2008 MMAF’s lead founder is Gene Sit, a remarkable man who passed away on June 24, 2008 Dear supporters of Minnesotans’ Military Appreciation Fund, at age 69. Although Gene was born in China, his American pride and commitment to giving back resulted in the creation of Minnesotans’ Military Appreciation Fund. Gene’s simple idea of When MMAF was founded in August of 2005, my father envisioned MMAF as a grassroots saying “thanks” to Minnesota service members has had a tremendous impact and is a legacy effort to support Minnesota’s service members and their families and ensure that this that we at MMAF are committed to continuing. generation of service members coming home from war zones received the “Thanks" they Gene’s incredible life story includes being kidnapped at age 7 by Chinese gangsters and deserved. As we enter our fifteenth year of operation, I believe that he would be proud of what held for ransom for nine months, being sent to America at age 10, away from his mother, to MMAF has done - it has spurred support from Minnesotans across the state and it has personally his father who was ill and died soon thereafter. Relatives in Arkansas stepped in and agreed to touched service members across the state with cash grants and messages of thanks. care for Gene. He learned the language, finished 12 years of school in eight years and earned When the U.S. entered Afghanistan in late 2001, no one could have predicted that our service members would still be there eighteen years later, with no clear end in sight. a scholarship to college. While some question the longevity or evolving mission of our military in the Middle East, Gene’s career began no one should question the sacrifices that Minnesotans continue to make while serving at Commonwealth Edison our country. We will continue to show our support until the last Minnesotan returns home. in Chicago, and then he MMAF has proudly remained a non-partisan, non-political organization, focused on spent 13 years at Investors thanking those who deploy. Diversified Services before We have been fortunate to work with individuals and groups of dedicated patriots who launching his own investment share our mission of thanks and support for our service members, some of which have raised firm, Sit Investment Associates funds on behalf of MMAF for over a decade. We appreciate the long-time support of the Patriot (SIA), in 1981 at age 42. Ride, Freedom Run, Leech Lake Ride for Veterans, Twin Cities River Rats, and the many other SIA remains one of Minnesota’s groups who have supported MMAF over the years, as you have helped realize the state-wide largest investment manage- grassroots effort my father envisioned. ment firms, managing more than Since 9/11, more than 45,000 Minnesotans have served in a combat zone. With the help $13 billion in assets. Five of of all of you, our many supporters, MMAF has been able to award a cash grant to over 17,650 of these veterans. We have now disbursed nearly $11.5 million in no-strings-attached grants. Gene’s six children have But our mission continues. Between 2018 and 2020, it is anticipated that over 2,000 worked for the firm, including Minnesota National Guard members will serve in combat zones. We know that this past his son Roger Sit, who serves as year more than 800 soldiers and airmen returned home from combat zones. But then, this chairman and CEO. September nearly 700 soldiers from the 34th Expeditionary Combat Aviation Brigade deployed. Gene’s life experiences made Minnesota National Guard aviation units, by the way, have deployed 18 times over the last him a true believer in the American 18 years. These deployments do not include active duty or reserve service members from dream. One of his final endeavors Minnesota, as data on active and reserve components is not readily available. was launching MMAF, an MMAF will be here and ready to thank our service members who return home to undertaking that spoke directly to Minnesota. Your support makes this possible. his love of country. MMAF is a reflection of Gene’s patriotism Sincerely, and deep appreciation for the sacrifices made by our Minnesota service members. Roger J. Sit Chair 2 3 MMAF has received over 11,000 donations from all across Minnesota. MMAF has thanked over 17,650 service members all across Minnesota. Since inception, MMAF has received over 11,000 donations from over 6,000 unique donors, MMAF has sent grant checks to over 790 municipalities, covering every county in the state. covering over 350 municipalities from nearly every corner of the state. The map below is a representation of the locations grants have been sent since inception. Grant checks totaling nearly $11.5 million dollars have been sent to: • 17,091 who have served honorably • 502 who were injured and received a Purple Heart • 66 to Gold Star families Donations Served Honorably Grassroot Fundraising Events Purple Heart Grants Gold Star Families 4 5 and how her family has made Statewide Awareness something positive out of the Thursday, May 16, 2019 hardest of hardships in their life. Minnesotans’ Military Appreciation Dinner Featuring General (Retired) Joseph Votel She also shared a story about Minnesotans’ Military meeting President George W. Appreciation Fund hosted Bush in the Oval Office and how its annual fundraising dinner powerful the moment was for on Thursday, May 16 with her family. Dianna’s message retired General Joseph of perseverance is one that will Votel as keynote speaker be remembered by everyone for the event. Joining in attendance. General Votel were Tom Hauser then Minnesota Governor returned to the stage and Tim Walz, and Dianna introduced retired Army General Joseph Votel, who Beardsley, a Minnesota retired as the Commander of U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) just weeks before the event. Gold Star Mother. The CENTCOM is responsible for our Nation’s security interests across the most volatile regions in evening’s speakers the world. General Votel expressed his gratitude joined nearly 500 guests to those who continue to support those who to show support for General Votel serve, while subsequently expressing sorrow and Minnesota’s service members and their families gratitude to Dianna Beardsley and Jill Stephenson, at the Doubletree by Hilton in Bloomington. Efforts from the evening raised more than $500,000. another Gold Star Mother in attendance, for The evening’s program was emceed by Tom Hauser of KSTP 5-Eyewitness News. Tom welcomed their sacrifices. General Votel discussed foreign guests and introduced MMAF for those not already familiar with the organization. The Fort Snelling policy and why it is important the U.S. maintain a Memorial Chapel Honor Guard posted colors as choir members from VocalEssence, conducted by Philip Brunelle, performed patriotic songs. Special guest Governor Tim Walz shared a message of presence in the Middle East and other unstable appreciation for the sacrifices that Minnesota’s finest have made since 9/11, including a personal regions throughout the world. message to the Gold Star Mothers in the room. The Governor himself served 24 years in the Army Roger Sit presented both speakers with plaques National Guard. As a congressman, he served on the House Committee on Veteran’s Affairs. As from MMAF in appreciation of their service and Governor, he has been a strong supporter of our military and MMAF. sacrifices. The evening concluded with a performance Chaplain (Lieutenant Colonel) Daniel Pulju gave an invocation and recognized those who have by VocalEssence of “God Bless America” as the given their lives in service to our country.
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