High Five Tour raises awareness for Wounded Warriors

Wounded Warriors Family Support (WWFS) is on the road for its seventh annual High Five Tour in an effort to raise money and awareness for veteran programs.

WWFS is a non-profit organization whose mission is to improve the quality of life for the families of veterans wounded in combat. The High Five Tour is organized by the WWFS, as a four month tour, to raise money and awareness across the country.

Sapp BrothersTravel Center hosted the tour in Sidney Friday, while it made its way across the state.

Penny Borcher, General Manager of the Sidney Sapp Bros. said, the entire Sapp Bros. chain participated in the High Five tour. Customers could buy paper hands to hang up with their name on it in increments of one and five dollars.

"So far the company has raised about $16,000," Borcher said. "Awareness needs to be out there. We have so many vets that get forgotten.

"The veterans and their families sacrifice their lives for our freedom," Borcher said.

Volunteer drivers travel in a 2016 Ford Shelby GT350. The car travels more than 26,000 miles across the United States, to more than 100 cities and making stops in 48 states.

Covered in signatures of those who donated along the way, the Mustang will be auctioned off at the end of the tour, said U.S. Air Force veteran and volunteer driver Ken Foley.

"Drivers volunteer for legs of the tour, I am currently driving from Omaha to Nevada," Foley said.

There are three programs that the organization provides with aid, said Foley. The first is mobility, where the organization buys vehicles and converts them to hand controls allowing wounded combat warriors to be self sufficient in the ability to drive themselves.

"Last year we raised enough money to purchase 51 vehicles to donate back to the veterans," Foley said.

Respite is the second program offered, Foley said, offering care takers of wounded Veterans support. Services include providing secondary caregiver assistance, respite aid for remote areas and short-term temporary relief in the form of child care and other services.

Getting time away and spending time with family is also very important to the recovery process for veterans and their families. WWFS makes this a possibility with its retreat program, offering a retreat for families at no cost to them.

"We offer week long retreats to various vacation homes," Foley said.

Cool Kids Club took a field trip to Sapp Bros. to visit with the drivers on the High Five Tour.

Seventh grade student Kole Houser said, "I think it's pretty cool and amazing to learn about the people who have fought for our country and our freedom."

To learn more about Wounded Warriors Family Support or the High Five Tour go to http://www.highfivetour.com.