United for Veterans (UFV) recently presented Missouri’s National Veterans Memorial (MNVM) with a donation of $47,500, raised from their inaugural fundraiser held in September in Cape Girardeau.
“This donation is a testament to the community’s dedication to honoring our nation’s heroes,” said MNVM Executive Director Rae Lynn Munoz. “It is earmarked for the expansion of MNVM’s ‘Laying Down the Burden’ project, a project supporting post-traumatic stress (PTS) recovery among service members.
The check was presented by the event’s title sponsor, Mercy Hospital represented by Administrator Chirs Wibbenmeyer and UFV Board Member Job Hobbs.
Receiving the donation on behalf of MNVM were board members President Clay Hahs, Vice President Paul Gard, Secretary Roger Wibbenmeyer, Brent Buerck, Van Naeger, and Munoz. In addition to MNVM, three other organizations benefited from this fundraiser — Stars & Stripes Museum in Bloomfield, Missouri’s Veterans Home, and the Avenue of the Flags in Cape Girardeau.
Each organization is dedicated to supporting and honoring veterans in unique ways, from preserving military history to providing essential care and services. Located in Perryville, MNVM offers a place of reflection and remembrance with its full-scale black-granite replica of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington, D.C.
“The ‘Laying Down the Burden’ project furthers the memorial’s mission by addressing the critical need for PTS support, with efforts to provide a dedicated space and resources for service members seeking healing and relief,” Munoz said. “This collective effort underscores the community’s commitment to standing by veterans, not only by honoring their service but also by supporting their well-being and recovery.”
