thedrifter
03-08-07, 07:48 AM
Fund for local children of fallen military members surpasses $1.3 million
By: JOE BECK - Staff Writer
NORTH COUNTY -- A scholarship campaign nearing its fourth year has distributed more than $1.3 million in savings bonds to 87 children of North County-based military members killed in Iraq, an administrator of the campaign said Tuesday.
The scholarship drive, known as the North County Honor Campaign, has raised a total of $1.62 million through a combination of private, mostly small contributions and matching funds by the Howard Charitable Foundation, according to George Brown, executive director of the Armed Services YMCA on Camp Pendleton.
The Howard Charitable Foundation was formed after Howard Publications, the family-owned parent company of the North County Times, sold the newspaper in 2002 to its current owner, Davenport, Iowa-based Lee Enterprises. Part of the money from the sale was used to start the charitable foundation, said Richard High, publisher of the North County Times.
Brown said he knows of no other locally based aid program that has contributed more money to the families of those who have died in Iraq.
"It's a grass-roots program that allows anybody to help those families, whose service members have paid the ultimate price, with their children's future education," Brown said in a telephone interview.
High said the North County Times began the honor campaign in April 2003 after consulting with Maj. Gen. William Bowdon, the commander of Camp Pendleton at the time. Since then, the North County Times has contributed free advertising to the honor campaign while the Armed Services YMCA has managed the program and the Howard foundation has contributed about two-thirds of the money raised.
"This is one of the finest hours of this newspaper, of this community, and of the Howard Charitable Foundation in their support of these fine Marine Corps families in their time of greatest need," High said.
The program, created a few weeks after the start of the Iraq conflict, gives each participating child a $15,000 savings bond. The bonds are available to any child younger than 18 whose parent was killed in Iraq and was headquartered at Marine bases at Camp Pendleton, Miramar, Twentynine Palms or Yuma, Ariz. Surviving children of members of the Navy, Army and Air Force who live in North County or Southwest Riverside County are also eligible for the savings bonds.
Brown said the Howard Foundation contributes $2 for every $1 raised by private donations. The fund has received $1,050,000 from the Howard foundation and $566,170 through private donations, he said.
"No donated money goes to pay for running the program," Brown said.
Surviving spouses and legal guardians of children are encouraged to use the savings bonds for their children's post-high school education, but they are not required to sign contracts or make any other binding commitment, Brown said. The bond bears the child's name but the co-owner is the parent or legal guardian.
In telephone interviews Tuesday, widows of fallen service members praised the fund for giving their children a brighter, more secure future by guaranteeing a sum of money that will pay for much or all of their college education.
Dawn Rowe of Yucca Valley lost her husband, Capt. Alan Rowe, to a roadside bomb on his second deployment to Iraq in September 2004. His death left her to raise two children, now ages 6 and 8. The savings bonds the children received from the fund do more than provide her with peace of mind in paying for higher education, Rowe said.
"It really helps the kids to understand the value of their dad's life and the sacrifice of his life in death," she said.
Rachelle Arroyave, who lives near Sacramento with her two children, ages 5 and 6, said they became eligible for the fund after a 7-ton vehicle rolled over on her husband, Staff Sgt. Jimmy Arroyave, in a noncombat accident in April 2004.
She said her husband, who never attended college, placed a high priority on making sure their children could attend a good university, a goal that appeared more uncertain after his death until the honor campaign awarded two savings bonds to them.
"Our expenses, now that we are off-base and out of military life, it's two, three, four times more expensive than when Jimmy was alive. So yes, we're very appreciative," Arroyave said.
Those wishing to donate to the North County Honor Campaign can mail their contributions to Armed Services YMCA, Box 555028, Building 16144, Camp Pendleton, CA 92055. For more information, call (760) 385-4921.
-- Contact staff writer Joe Beck at (760) 740-3516 or jbeck@nctimes.com.
Ellie
By: JOE BECK - Staff Writer
NORTH COUNTY -- A scholarship campaign nearing its fourth year has distributed more than $1.3 million in savings bonds to 87 children of North County-based military members killed in Iraq, an administrator of the campaign said Tuesday.
The scholarship drive, known as the North County Honor Campaign, has raised a total of $1.62 million through a combination of private, mostly small contributions and matching funds by the Howard Charitable Foundation, according to George Brown, executive director of the Armed Services YMCA on Camp Pendleton.
The Howard Charitable Foundation was formed after Howard Publications, the family-owned parent company of the North County Times, sold the newspaper in 2002 to its current owner, Davenport, Iowa-based Lee Enterprises. Part of the money from the sale was used to start the charitable foundation, said Richard High, publisher of the North County Times.
Brown said he knows of no other locally based aid program that has contributed more money to the families of those who have died in Iraq.
"It's a grass-roots program that allows anybody to help those families, whose service members have paid the ultimate price, with their children's future education," Brown said in a telephone interview.
High said the North County Times began the honor campaign in April 2003 after consulting with Maj. Gen. William Bowdon, the commander of Camp Pendleton at the time. Since then, the North County Times has contributed free advertising to the honor campaign while the Armed Services YMCA has managed the program and the Howard foundation has contributed about two-thirds of the money raised.
"This is one of the finest hours of this newspaper, of this community, and of the Howard Charitable Foundation in their support of these fine Marine Corps families in their time of greatest need," High said.
The program, created a few weeks after the start of the Iraq conflict, gives each participating child a $15,000 savings bond. The bonds are available to any child younger than 18 whose parent was killed in Iraq and was headquartered at Marine bases at Camp Pendleton, Miramar, Twentynine Palms or Yuma, Ariz. Surviving children of members of the Navy, Army and Air Force who live in North County or Southwest Riverside County are also eligible for the savings bonds.
Brown said the Howard Foundation contributes $2 for every $1 raised by private donations. The fund has received $1,050,000 from the Howard foundation and $566,170 through private donations, he said.
"No donated money goes to pay for running the program," Brown said.
Surviving spouses and legal guardians of children are encouraged to use the savings bonds for their children's post-high school education, but they are not required to sign contracts or make any other binding commitment, Brown said. The bond bears the child's name but the co-owner is the parent or legal guardian.
In telephone interviews Tuesday, widows of fallen service members praised the fund for giving their children a brighter, more secure future by guaranteeing a sum of money that will pay for much or all of their college education.
Dawn Rowe of Yucca Valley lost her husband, Capt. Alan Rowe, to a roadside bomb on his second deployment to Iraq in September 2004. His death left her to raise two children, now ages 6 and 8. The savings bonds the children received from the fund do more than provide her with peace of mind in paying for higher education, Rowe said.
"It really helps the kids to understand the value of their dad's life and the sacrifice of his life in death," she said.
Rachelle Arroyave, who lives near Sacramento with her two children, ages 5 and 6, said they became eligible for the fund after a 7-ton vehicle rolled over on her husband, Staff Sgt. Jimmy Arroyave, in a noncombat accident in April 2004.
She said her husband, who never attended college, placed a high priority on making sure their children could attend a good university, a goal that appeared more uncertain after his death until the honor campaign awarded two savings bonds to them.
"Our expenses, now that we are off-base and out of military life, it's two, three, four times more expensive than when Jimmy was alive. So yes, we're very appreciative," Arroyave said.
Those wishing to donate to the North County Honor Campaign can mail their contributions to Armed Services YMCA, Box 555028, Building 16144, Camp Pendleton, CA 92055. For more information, call (760) 385-4921.
-- Contact staff writer Joe Beck at (760) 740-3516 or jbeck@nctimes.com.
Ellie