PACE — Gulf Power’s Clay Shoot for America’s Heroes annually focuses on supporting veterans and their families.
With more than $90,000 in proceeds from the Nov. 3 Clay Shoot, Gulf Power is bolstering budgets of three charities aimed at providing aid and support to veterans and their families.
These three organizations will share the proceeds:
- Santa Rosa County’s Veterans Memorial Vets to VA Program (http://www.srcvmf.org): Provides transportation for veterans to receive medical treatment — nearly 400 trips were provided in 2015.
- Air Force Enlisted Bob Hope Village of Fort Walton Beach (http://afev.us/bob-hope-village/): Provides assisted-living care and other support for enlisted veterans and their surviving spouses.
- Gulf Coast State College’s Military and Veteran Emergency Fund (Panama City; http://www.gulfcoast.edu/current-students/military-veterans-services/veteran_services.html): Provides assistance for veterans and their dependents pursuing higher education — including tuition assistance, material purchase, transportation and other needs.
This year’s Clay Shoot guest was former Navy SEAL sniper, breacher, combat medic and local author, Kevin Lacz, who was a technical adviser and played himself in the 2014 Oscar nominated film “American Sniper.”
“During my time in the Navy, I learned about bonds and family,” he said speaking to a crowd of roughly 200 at Santa Rosa Shooting Center. “And when we go overseas and do the job we do, we leave behind our families. But we can’t do what we do without their support. Family makes the veteran strong. When you see charities in the community that strengthen that bond, we see a stronger community.”
After serving two tours of duty in Iraq, in 2006 and 2008, and completing his enlistment, Lacz returned to college and now works as a physician’s assistant in Pensacola. His military service served as impetus to work on behalf of veterans’ causes.
“My roots in the Navy stay with me today,” he said to a crowd of veterans and supporters of veterans. “When we look forward to the future, let’s hold onto those roots and keep doing what we’re doing, helping vets.”
Stan Connally, Gulf Power’s chairman, president and CEO, with the help of Sandy Sims, Eastern District general manager, launched the Clay Shoot four years ago to funnel donations to veteran-focused nonprofits.
Forty teams, the largest yet, turned out for this year’s event.
“Last year, we raised $90,000 and every penny went back to local veterans’ organizations that serve our communities,” Connally said. “I can assure you every penny we raised this year will go back into these three organizations. Gulf Power is proud to be a leading employer and supporter of veterans in our region. We are honored to have more than 100 veterans on our team.”
Joe Garner, with the Combat Veterans Motorcycle Association, who volunteers with the Veterans Memorial Foundation, said Gulf Power’s donation will go a long way in assisting disabled veterans.
“This will help keep that program alive,” he said. “There’s a big need in Santa Rosa County for providing transportation to pick up veterans and take them to the VA clinic or to pick up prescriptions. Some of these guys are disabled and immobile, they can’t drive.”
Donating to a worthy cause and honoring veterans were at the heart of why many of the nearly 200 team members participated in the Clay Shoot.
Jason Lee, vice president of transmission construction and business development of Hattiesburg, Mississippi-based Chain Electric, participated for the first time this year.
“With this being a fundraiser for veterans, it struck a chord with us at Chain Electric,” he said. “My family is full of veterans. The whole experience of being able to interact with the veterans and employees of Gulf Power was pretty amazing. We’ll be back participating next year.”
This article originally appeared on Santa Rosa Press Gazette: Navy veteran, movie consultant joins veterans clay shoot