Yesterday morning we headed to the Reserve Officers Association on Capitol Hill for the public launch of Dreams for Veterans.
Dreams for Veterans serves those who have served by giving back to terminally ill veterans and their families through the fulfillment of a final dream. We snapped the Kellogg Organization’s Terry Wall with Veterans History Project’s Karen Lloyd and Elizabeth Slaught, a supporter for 20 years and wife of the board president. The Veterans History Project is a unique program with the Library of Congress to collect veterans’ stories from all over the country.
Guests included those who have received dreams from the Dreams for Veterans program and their families. Here, Dream Foundation Executive Director Kisa Heyer with Schmidt family members Will, Shawna, Wendy and Cary. Guests enjoyed a continental breakfast before the program.
Dreams for Veterans has served the dreams of more than 600 terminally ill adults, with hopes to expand its outreach in the coming years. Here, Eric Taylor of Sen. John McCain’s office joins Dreamer family James and Sheri Malone from Phoenix, with Dreams for Veterans Advisory Committee member Kelsey Martin. (Read more)
September 17, 2015 – Washington, D.C. – Today, Dream Foundation—the only national dream-granting organization for adults and their families suffering life-threatening illness—publicly launched its Dreams for Veterans program in Washington, D.C., where Members of Congress, representatives of The White House’s Joining Forces program and Dreams for Veterans recipients and their families were in attendance. Dreams for Veterans serves those who have served by giving back to terminally ill veterans and their families through the fulfillment of a final dream. To date, the program has served the dreams of more than 100 terminally ill adults; that number is projected to expand to more than 600 over the next few years.
“It is a great honor to be joined today by The White House’s Joining Forces team, Members of Congress and most importantly some of our nation’s bravest who have had their dreams served by the Dreams for Veterans program,” said Dream Foundation Executive Director Kisa Heyer.
U.S. military veteran dreamers to date have served in World War II, the Korean War, the Vietnam War, the Gulf War, the War in Afghanistan and the Iraq War. “We hope to serve as many as 400 veterans in 2016, and many, many more in the years to follow,” said Heyer. “Our goal is to expand our national presence and outreach efforts and be readily available to every terminally ill veteran in need of a final dream.”
“As First Lady, one of my core missions is ensuring our service members, veterans, and their families have the support they have earned when they hang up their uniforms. That is why I am so proud of the incredible work the Dream Foundation has done – and will continue to do – on behalf of those who served in our Nation’s armed forces,” said First Lady Michelle Obama, whose remarks were shared from a letter of support for the Dreams for Veterans program by U.S. Air Force Col. Nicole Malachowski, Executive Director of The White House’s Joining Forces program. In 2011 Mrs. Obama joined with Dr. Jill Biden to launch Joining Forces, a nationwide initiative calling all Americans to rally around service members, veterans and their families, and support them through wellness, education and employment opportunities. Joining Forces works hand-in-hand with the public and private sectors to ensure that service members, veterans and their families have the tools they need to succeed throughout their lives.
Speaking at today’s event were Senator Sherrod Brown (D-OH), Congresswoman Lois Capps (D-CA), Congressman Matt Salmon (R-AZ) and Congresswoman Rosa DeLauro (D-CT), who were joined by dream recipients and their families from each of their Congressional districts.
“Dreams for Veterans offers truly heartwarming acts of gratitude to those who have given so much to our country,” Congresswoman Lois Capps said. “I have long admired the Dream Foundation’s work, and I am inspired by their efforts to give back to terminally ill veterans and their families.”
Following the formal speaking program, a panel discussion moderated by Dream Foundation’s Executive Director Kisa Heyer was comprised of representatives from leading veterans service organizations,who discussed the special needs of veterans at end-of-life. Panelists included Sarah Meltzer from the National Hospice Foundation, Garry Augustine from DAV and Steve Schwab from Caring for Military Families: The Elizabeth Dole Foundation.
Dreamers’ Stories
Honored guests at the event included those who have received dreams from the Dreams for Veterans program and/or their family representatives. Dreamers and family members included:
• James (Arizona) —James passed away June 24, 2015 from terminal adenocarcinoma, one day before he realized his dream of visiting Washington D.C. with his wife and son. He was 55 years old. James served honorably in the U.S. Navy from 1977 – 1981 before retiring as a Disbursing Clerk Second Class. Having served during peacetime, he shared with Dreams for Veterans that his most meaningful memory was pulling out of port and seeing the land disappear. “I always got a charge over that,” he had said. “When I was on watch, I would look out and realize that I was protecting family and loved ones back home.” Senator McCain’s office helped plan a memorable trip for James and his wife and son, including tours of the White House and U.S. Capitol, and visits to historic landmarks around the city—a trip he had to cancel at the last minute because he became unable to travel. As James’ wife Sheri expressed after he died, “My husband was overwhelmed by the Foundation granting him his dream. Even though he didn’t get to go on the trip, it helped to restore his faith in the goodness of people.” James’ wife attended the event on his behalf.
• Ray (California) —Ray is an 89-year-old leukemia and heart disease patient, and a U.S. Navy veteran. He served from 1944 -1946 and his title was Seaman 3rd Class, Ships Mate. He was stationed at Sampson, N.Y., and later mostly loaded ammunition in the Utah and Nevada deserts. Ray’s dream, to enjoy a trip to the Yosemite Valley with his wife, son and daughter-in-law, occurred in May 2015. Dreams for Veterans sent the family to Yosemite, where they stayed in the Ahwahnee Hotel, enjoyed stunning views of the valley and made perhaps their last set of memories together there in the park.
• Hallock (Connecticut) —Hallock is a U.S. Army veteran. His dream was to make memories with his wife and three young children (8, 6 and 4) by taking them to Walt Disney World in Orlando. Yocher’s dream occurred in January 2014. His family of five visited both SeaWorld Orlando and Universal Orlando in addition to Walt Disney World. Hallock said he felt “such peace and joy to see my kids look so happy and excited and they explored the parks.” At the time of his dream, Hallock’s physician attested that he had a life expectancy of nine months due to his terminal Hodgkin’s Lymphoma. However, he has exceeded that prognosis and was thrilled to share his story. Hallock is a proud veteran, who spent six years in the Army, serving one tour in Iraq. After that time he transferred to the Air Force, where he toured Iraq again. He has received honorable discharges from both branches of service.
• Randy (Ohio) —Randy passed away January 24, 2015 from cancer. His dream, to attend a Pittsburgh Steelers game, occurred on October 21, 2014. Randy was a member of the U.S. Navy from 1975 – 1995, serving on submarines. Randy was an avid Pittsburgh Steelers fan. Over the years he had attended a few home games, but with finances strained as a result of his illness, he had not been able to see a game live for quite some time. Last fall, Randy appealed to Dreams for Veterans for help getting to Heinz Field and watching his favorite team from the sidelines. Randy and his family went to a game, after which he wrote to Dreams for Veterans saying, “It was absolutely fabulous. It meant so much to us. The weather was beautiful; everything was perfect. We made amazing memories.” Randy’s family attended the event on his behalf.
About Dream Foundation The only national dream-granting organization for adults, Dream Foundation enhances the quality of life for individuals and their families battling life-threatening illness. Dream recipients are those individuals who have been given a year or less life expectancy. Dreams range from basic needs items, like a working stove, to bedside reunions and meaningful experiences with children and loved ones. Founded in 1994, Dream Foundation serves more than 2,500 dreams each year and relies on a network of volunteers, sponsors and individual donors. For more information, visit www.dreamfoundation.org.
About Dreams for Veterans Dreams for Veterans is a program of Dream Foundation. Its mission is to serve those who have served by giving back to terminally ill veterans and their families through the fulfillment of a final dream. Having learned the importance of acknowledging veterans, honoring their service and sharing their personal stories, Dream Foundation created Dreams for Veterans in 2014 to effectively tailor the dream experience to veterans and their families. Dream recipients are U.S. military veterans 18 and over with a life expectancy of 12 months or less. CKE Restaurants Holdings, Inc., Southwest Airlines (NYSE: LUV) and entrepreneur and philanthropist, John Paul DeJoria are founding sponsors of this program. For more information, visit www.dreamfoundation.org/ veterans.
Today, I had the honor of attending and reading a letter from the First Lady during the public launch of Dreams For Veterans. This organization fulfills dreams for U.S. military veterans with a life expectancy of 12 months or less. The program honors their lives, meets their needs, and reunites their families to bring closure to their end-of-life journey. Many dreams fulfilled through the Dreams for Veterans program include tailored elements intended to recognize these individuals and their service. For veteran dream recipients, dreams come in many shapes and sizes, from receiving daily comfort items to helping facilitate family reunions.
It was such an experience to meet with veterans who attended the launch today, many of whom have had dreams fulfilled by Dreams for Veterans. For me, the story of veterans, Ethel, 94 and her husband Carl, 92, really hit home for me. The couple met while Ethel was serving as a nurse during World War II. Recently, Ethel’s terminal lymphoma had created a financial and emotional burden; but, she and Carl tried to remain active. Ethel’s dream was to attend the monthly pancake breakfast at the local American Legion post with Carl. They received a hero’s welcome that special morning, and spent valuable time together connecting with other veterans.
Ethel’s story is just one more than 100 dreams fulfilled by Dreams for Veterans, the first national program specifically serving and honoring veterans – from World War II to Iraq and Afghanistan – at the end of life by fulfilling their final dream. In addition to giving dream recipients and their families the opportunity to make the most of the time they have left, a final dream also improves their end of life care by addressing the emotional and psychological needs of terminally ill veterans and those of their loved ones and caretakers.
Many veteran Dreamers are eager to reconcile memories and acknowledge their former service. They come to Dreams for Veterans with service-centric dreams ranging from taking historical tours of battleships or enjoying camaraderie and a meal at the American Legion to visiting our nation’s capital, memorials or having their stories of military service shared and preserved with their families. No matter the dream, at the heart of each one is its ability to ignite hope, anticipation and joy in the lives of those who need it most. Individuals and families, hospice partners, hospitals, doctors, social workers and veterans’ organizations share the program with veterans. By providing a resource to an extended community, a dream has the ability to not just serve the recipient, but all those involved in the experience.
We salute Dreams for Veterans as they publicly launch this program on September 17 in Washington, D.C., and continue to fulfill the dreams of those who so bravely and selflessly served our country.
Colonel Nicole Malachowski, USAF, is the Executive Director of Joining Forces.
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Congresswoman Lois Capps joined local veteran and dream recipient George “Ray” West in attending the Dream Foundation’s public launch of its Dreams for Veterans program in Washington, D.C. The Dreams for Veterans program serves our nation’s heroes by giving back to terminally ill veterans and their families through the fulfillment of a final dream. Photos of Capps meeting with Mr. West and speaking at the event can be found here and here.
West is an 89-year-old U.S. Navy veteran who served as Seaman 3rd Class, Ships Mate from 1944 -1946. He lives in Santa Barbara with his family and has been diagnosed with both leukemia and heart disease. West’s dream of enjoying a trip to the Yosemite Valley with his wife, son and daughter-in-law, was fulfilled in May 2015. The trip came 65 years after Mr. West and his wife, Jean, first honeymooned in Yosemite in 1950.
“Dreams for Veterans offers truly heartwarming acts of gratitude to those who have given so much to our country,” Capps said. “I have long admired the Dream Foundation’s work, and I am so inspired by their efforts to give back to terminally ill veterans and their families.”
When asked about their dream to Yosemite…Jean West, his wife said: “It meant the world to us! We honeymooned there in 1950 and fell in love with the area. We built a cabin there and from 1950 to 1999 we stayed in our cabin at least one day every month for 49 years. It was our home away from home where we raised our children. We didn’t think we would ever be able to return, but Dream Foundation gave us the opportunity to return home! And create even more memories!” Ray added, “Yosemite is a wonderland of God’s work.” When asked about his upcoming trip to DC, Ray said…“I am excited to experience something new, the opportunity to meet the dignitaries that will be at the launch, and visits the memorials that share so much of our history.”
“After more than 20 years and 20,000 dreams served throughout all 50 states, it is more special than ever knowing Dream Foundation began and has always had its home base right here in Santa Barbara,” said Kisa Keyer, Dream Foundation Executive Director. “The importance this community and people like Lois Capps place on the role of a dream in the palliative care continuum, particularly for veterans, is of the utmost importance to us. We are overjoyed that Santa Barbara’s own Mr. Ray West will be traveling to D.C. with his son David for the public launch of Dreams for Veterans and thank Capps and her team for their support.”
To date, Dreams for Veterans has served more than 100 dreams to veterans and plans to expand to more than 600 over the next few years. The Dream Foundation is headquartered in Santa Barbara, CA and has fulfilled 20,000 dreams to terminally ill participants nation-wide.
Eighty-two-year-old Arkansas resident Gerald was diagnosed with end-stage coronary artery disease. He came to us with a simple yet powerful dream request: to reconnect with aspects of his former military service by revisiting the USS Laffey at Patriot’s Point, South Carolina. Gerald had served on the USS Laffey from 1950-1954 as a sailor in the U.S. Navy, working as a machinist mate in the engine room. He traveled the world on that ship and saw three tours in Korea during the war. His final dream was to walk the decks one last time, 60 years after the culmination of his service.
“I just wanted to come back and see actually what happened to me in my early 20s,” Gerald said. “I think the bottom line was the four years changed me. I was a different person when I left.”
Gerald’s Navy experiences included a 28-day stretch when, from off the Korean coast, he remembers the Laffey pouring shells at targets on the mainland. He described how the ship would roll from side to side when the guns were fired and how he would go out with a couple of other sailors in small wooden boats to clear mines. It had to be done at night, he recalls, with no lights and no weapons except for knives. He said the metal from the guns might have exploded the floating mines.
We arranged for Gerald and his daughter’s reunion aboard the USS Laffey, including a special tour, catered luncheon, and the opportunity to share stories with members of the press and in an oral history interview. Father and daughter then spent the weekend touring Patriot’s Point, where Gerald became an instant local celebrity. Members of the community stopped him frequently as they recognized him and wanted to thank him for his service. We are honored to help support veterans like Gerald by giving them the opportunity to share their stories and receive acknowledgement for their military service.
The Chance to Dream Again
Ninety-four-year-old New Jersey resident Ethel met her husband Carl when she was serving as a U.S. Army nurse during World War II. While struggling with the effects of terminal lymphoma, the couple was forced to put their house on the market in order to meet the financial obligations associated with her care and treatment. We fulfilled Ethel’s dream for her and Carl to attend the monthly pancake breakfast at their local American Legion post, then take a drive to visit their old home and see the military cemetery where they will one day be buried.
When time has been cut short due to terminal illness, a dream allows people like Ethel to reconnect with meaningful aspects of their past and honor a life full of love, service and community. For more of Ethel’s dream and to see pictures, follow this link.
If You Served, You Can Dream
Founded in 1994, Dream Foundation is the only national dream-granting organization for adults and their families battling life-threatening illness. We touch lives, meet needs, reunite families and provide joy, peace and comfort at the end of life’s journey through the fulfillment of a final dream. Over the course of its 20-year history, we have served more than 20,000 final dreams in communities large and small throughout all 50 states, providing a vital resource for adults with life threatening illness, many of which – like Gerald and Ethel – have been U.S. military veterans.
This year marks another milestone for Dream Foundation with the official launch of its Dreams For Veterans sub-program. Having learned the importance of acknowledging Veterans, honoring their service and sharing their personal stories, Dreams for Veterans effectively tailors the dream experience for Veterans and their families, providing the invaluable opportunity to honor a Veteran’s service while engaging, honoring and appreciating their families and communities.
The public launch of Dreams For Veterans will take place Sept. 17 at The Reserve Officers Association of The United States in Washington, D.C. The event will be attended by some of our recent Veteran dream recipients and their families, who will be presented Dreams For Veterans ‘Challenge Coins’ by their members of Congress. Members of other Veterans Service Organizations will participate in a panel discussion on palliative care For Veterans.
Dreams for Veterans recipients are U.S. military Veterans 18 years or older with a life expectancy of 12 months or less, and who lack the means to manifest his or her dream unassisted. Final dreams range from basic needs items such as a mobility scooter, lift chair, working appliance or laptop, to bedside reunions, final vacations with family, meeting a personal hero, or reconnecting with aspects of former military service.
Dream Foundation receives no public funding and has never turned down a qualified dream request. Please consider sharing Dreams for Veterans with Veterans in need, which will enable Dream Foundation to fulfill their final wishes. In addition to referring applicants, you can learn more about how you can participate in honoring and acknowledging a Veteran dream recipient or how you can help spread the word in your community by visiting www.dreamfoundation.org/veterans or calling (888) 4DREAMS/(888) 437-3267.
Yesterday morning we headed to the Reserve Officers Association on Capitol Hill for the public launch of Dreams for Veterans.