HomeMy WebLinkAboutGrant Req - Bend Heroes Foundation#29 For: 1/30
Economic Development Fund
Discretionary Grant Program
Organization: Bend Heroes Foundation
Organization Description: This organization of veterans and community members
works to honor local individuals and groups who perform honorably and heroically under
critical conditions. Some examples of their efforts include he Bend Parade of Flags, Bend
Hero Memorial and World War II Veterans Historic Highway.
Project Name: Honor Flight of Eastern Oregon
Project Description: These funds will be used to take 45 Oregon World War II veterans
living east of the Cascade Mountains to Washington, D.C. in 2012. Among the 45
veterans, 22 live in Deschutes County. The trip will include visiting the World War II
Memorial, Iwo Jima Memorial, Tomb of the Unknowns and other memorials, as well as
the U.S.Capitol. The approximate cost is $900 per veteran. This request would fund trips
for 10 veterans. This organization plans to take 22 veterans to Washington in 2012.
Project Period: May 2, 2012 — September 23, 2012
Amount of Request: $9,000 (Total Estimated Cost = $19,800)
Previous Grants:
• March 2010: $1,500 Signs for World War II Veterans Historic Highway ($500
Baney, $500 Luke, $500 Unger)
BEND HEROES FOUNDATION
22325 WHITE PEAKS DRIVE. BEND. OREGON 97702-9213
541 388-5591 TAX ID # 27-2071808
PRESIDENT DICK TOBIASON VICE PRESIDENT ERIK TOBIASON
SECRETARY LEE FLEGEL TREASURER DENNIS MCMAHON
iiiDIRECTORS BOB MAXWELL, KIP MCCORMICK, AI -STAIR PATERSON
December 27, 2011
Deschutes County Board of Commissioners
1300 NW Wall St.
Bend, OR 97701
Dear Commissioners Baney, DeBone, and Unger
Attached is our application for a lottery grant to help send Deschutes County WWII Veterans on
an Honor Flight of Eastern Oregon "trip of a lifetime" visiting their national WWII Memorial in
Washington, DC.
Thank you for your consideration.
All the best in 2012.
Sincer9ly,
Dick Tobiason
President
Cc: BHF
The Bend Heroes Foundation is recognized by the State of Oregon as a Public Interest Not for Profit Corporation,
tax number 27-2071808. Contributions to the Bend Heroes Foundation may be tax deductible to the extent the law allows.
Web site: www. bend heroes.orq, www.honorfightofeasternoregon.org
Deschutes County Board of Commissioners
1300 NW Wall St. Bend, OR 97701-1960
Deschutes County Economic Development Fund
Discretionary Grant Program Application
Direct Application to: All Three Commissioners
Date: December 27, 2011 Project Name: HONOR FLIGHT OF EASTERN OREGON
Project Beginning Date: May 2, 2012 Project End Date: Sept. 23, 2012
Amount of Request: $9,000 Date Funds Needed: Feb. 1, 2012
Applicant/Organization: Bend Heroes Foundation Tax ID#: 27-2071808
Address: 22325 White Peaks Drive. City & Zip: Bend, 97702
Contact Name: Dick Tobiason Phone: 541 388-5591
FAX: 541 388-5591 Alternate Phone: 541 390-9932 Email: dtobiason@bendcable.com
Bend Heroes Foundation Application for Deschutes County Discretionary Funds
1. Describe the applicant organization, purpose, leadership structure, and
activities:
Bend Heroes Foundation is a non-profit entity organized for the purposes of
honoring local veterans and first responders and families, raising funds for heroes
and families, taking veterans to national memorials, and creation of memorials
and scholarships.
The Foundation is organized with President, Vice President, Secretary, Treasurer,
5 Directors, and 3 volunteers. All serve without compensation.
Leadership structure: The Foundation meets monthly to establish goals and
objectives and implement them by oversight of the officers. The Officers and
Directors are retired military veterans and experienced business leaders.
Activities:
BEND HEROES MEMORIAL: Design and build a memorial in Bend honoring
veterans and first responders. The Foundation raised $116,000 (cash and in-kind)
for its design and construction. The Memorial was dedicated on Veterans Day,
2009. Bend Heroes Foundation received the City of Bend's Arts, Beautification,
and Culture Award.
WWII VETERANS HISTORIC HIGHWAY: The Foundation's predecessor
requested legislation to honor Oregon's WWII Veterans with honorific signs
installed near 8 former WWII training sites along US Highway 97 and SR 126.
The law was passed in 2009 and 16 of the 18 signs are in place. The signs also
inform travelers of the otherwise unknown 8 WWII training sites ("HISTORIC"
on the signs). This is the first permanent and prominent honors to Oregon's
147,600 WWII Veterans. Deschutes BOCC supported the legislation. Bend
Heroes Foundation has received awards from the Daughters of the American
Revolution and Military Officers Association of America for honoring WWII
veterans and preserving history.
HONOR FLIGHT OF EASTERN OREGON (HFEO): HFEO is managed
by the Bend Heroes Foundation and is one of 112 partners in the national Honor
Flight Network program honoring WWII Veterans by taking them to Washington,
DC free of charge to visit their national WWII Memorial. Over 80,000 WWII
Veterans from 40 states have been honored over the last 7 years. HFEO started
operations in October, 2010 and has taken 81 Oregon veterans from east of the
Cascades to DC during 5 trips over 13 months. Fifty one (51) of those veterans
live in Deschutes County. There are at least 22 WWII Veterans living in
Deschutes County waiting to travel in 2012. Time is of the essence. It is up to us
to make their dream a reality.
2. Describe the proposed project or activity.
Bend Heroes Foundation is raising funds to take 45 more Oregon WWII Veterans
living east of the Cascade Mountains to Washington, DC during 2 trips in 2012
beginning on May 2. Twenty two (22) or 50% of those veterans live in Deschutes
County. Veterans travel free of charge in appreciation for their service and
sacrifice during WWII freeing the world of tyranny.
Our trips consist of 4 days with one full day traveling to DC, 2 full days in DC,
and a full day returning home. Veterans and their "Guardians" who assist them
visit the WWII Memorial, US Capitol, Lincoln, FDR, Korean War, Vietnam War,
Navy, Air Force, and Iwo Jima Memorials Women in Military Service for
America, and Tomb of the Unknowns. The WWII Veterans are in their late 80s
and 90s and require special attention due to age and health, thus the need for
Guardians who pay their own expenses. Bend Heroes Foundation also provides
the trip leaders and manages the highly coordinated trips. A typical trip requires 2
leaders and 16 Guardians to support 25 veterans, 40% of whom require
wheelchairs and/or supplemental oxygen.
When the veterans return home from Washington, they "spread the word" of their
"trip of a lifetime" to fellow WWII Veterans who then apply for future travel. We
expect an increase in applications from Deschutes County veterans as the County
has about 1,200 WWII Veterans many of whom are capable of travel. By County,
Deschutes County has the highest veterans population east of the Cascades and is
the only Oregon county with a growing veterans population.
During our first 5 trips, we honored 51 Deschutes County veterans. They
represent 62 % of all veteran who traveled with us from east of the Cascades.
3. Provide a timeline for completing the proposed project or activity.
We plan to take 22 Deschutes County veterans to Washington, DC during 2 trips:
May 2-6 and September 19-23, 2012 with half on each trip.
4. Explain how the proposed project or activity will impact the community's
economic health.
This project has more of a cultural impact than economic impact. County
residents would appreciate knowing the Commissioners have helped honor the
dwindling number of the County's WWII Veterans by partnering with Bend
Heroes Foundation in the national Honor Flight program. This would be seen as
an extension of the Commissioners previous support for our WWII Veterans
Historic Highway signs program — the first permanent honors to Oregon's WWII
Veterans.
5. Identify the specific communities or groups that will benefit.
The 1,200 WWII Veterans living in Deschutes County are 15% of the "population
older than 65" category. They are older than 85 and have served in all corners of
the world.
Our community has great respect for WWII Veterans and knows they are
vanishing from our midst. Realizing opportunities to honor them are rapidly
diminishing, organizers of Bend's and Redmond's Veterans Day parades have
chosen to make them the center of attention this year.
6. Itemize specific expenditures*. Describe how grant funds will be used and
include the source and amounts of matching funds or in-kind contributions,
if any. If the grant will support an ongoing activity, explain how it will be
funded in the future.
Our cost to take a WWII Veteran to Washington on a 4 day trip is $900:
Round trip airfare $500
Hotel (double occupancy) 160
Meals 115
Bus in DC 40
Flag flown over Capitol 13
WWII Memorial book 11
Photo album 35
WWII hat, T shirt 15
Wreath at Tomb of Unknowns 4
Office expenses 7
$900
Shilo Inns at Portland Airport donates the first night accommodations (double
occupancy) and dinner valued at $75 thus reducing our fund raising requirement
to about $825 per veteran.
The grant would be used to pay the expenses of 10 of the 22 Deschutes County
Veterans traveling in 2012. Bend Heroes Foundation must raise $9,900 for the
remaining 12 County veterans. We are seeking donations from some of the 2011
donors and potential new donors by direct appeals, meetings, and fundraisers such
as spaghetti feeds, barbeques, and sporting events. Should we receive additional
applications from County veterans, we will have to schedule them for travel
during 2013 and raise additional funds then.
Bend Heroes Foundation raised $72,000 from veterans groups, individuals, and
businesses in 2010/2011 to honor 81 veterans living east of the Cascades -
$42,000 for County veterans. At our request Southwest Airlines donated roundtrip
seats valued at $35,000. Shilo Inns donated first night accommodations and
dinner valued at $5,000. Combined, these donations accounted for about 55% of
4
our costs which we successfully matched. We are not eligible for free airline seats
in 2012. Our 4 largest cash donations were $7,500, $5,000, $5,000 and $2,000.
In summary, the lottery grant request for $9,000 represents about 15% of our
$60,225 costs to honor 73 County veterans during 2011 and 2012. The veterans
live in every city in Deschutes County. Bend Heroes Foundation has not
benefited to date from donations by any government agencies.
Attached is a photo of Honor Flight of Eastern Oregon WWII Veterans at their
national WWII Memorial in Washington, DC.
Our web sites: www.bendheroes.org and www.honorflightofeasternoregon.org
The latter site has a fine video of our typical trip.
Attach:
Proof of the organization's non-profit status.
IRS Letter dated August 6, 2010 designating Bend Heroes Foundation as a tax exempt
public charity, E1N 27-2071808 is attached.
Tammy Baney Amount Signature
Anthony DeBone Amount Signature
Alan Unger Amount Signature
INTERNAL REVENUE SERVICE
P. O. BOX 2508
CINCINNATI, OH 45201
Date: AUG 0 6 2010
THE BEND HEROES FOUNDATION
22325 WHITE PEAKS DR
BEND, OR 97702
Dear Applicant:
DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY
Employer Identification Number:
27-2071808
DLN:
17053180314010
Contact Person:
JOHN J KOESTER ID# 31364
Contact Telephone Number:
(877) 829-5500
Accounting Period Ending:
December 31
Public Charity Status:
170(b) (1) (A) (vi)
Form 990 Required:
Yes
Effective Date of Exemption:
March 5, 2010
Contribution Deductibility:
Yes
Addendum Applies:
No
We are pleased to inform you that upon review of your application for tax
exempt status we have determined that you are exempt from Federal income tax
under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code. Contributions to you are
deductible under section 170 of the Code. You are also qualified to receive
tax deductible bequests, devises, transfers or gifts under section 2055, 2106
or 2522 of the Code. Because this letter could help resolve any questions
regarding your exempt status, you should keep it in your permanent records.
Organizations exempt under section 501(c)(3) of the Code are further classified
as either public charities or private foundations We determined that you are
a public charity under the Code section(s) listed in the heading of this
letter.
Please see enclosed Publication 4221 -PC, Compliance Guide for 501(c)(3) Public
Charities, for some helpful information about your responsibilities as an
exempt organization.
Letter 947 (DO/CG)
-2 -
THE BEND HEROES FOUNDATION
We have sent a copy of this letter to your representative as indicated in your
power of attorney.
Enclosure: Publication 4221 -PC
Sincerely,
Robert Choi
Director, Exempt Organizations
Rulings and Agreements
Letter 947 (DO/CG)