By Susan Johnson
Copy Editor

Klaas Financial, Inc. will host its Second Annual Car and Bike Show on Saturday, June 25, to benefit the Wounded Warrior Project. Klaas is at 4707 Perry Ridge Lane, Loves Park. The show will take place from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. in the Klaas parking lot, across from Peak Fitness. Food will be provided by R.B.I.’s from11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.

The public is invited to come out and support our veterans and see a great show. There is a $10 entry fee, and trophies will be awarded for Best in Show for both cars and bikes as well as other awards.

Mike Todryk is a Vietnam veteran who served in three branches of the military. He will make an announcement about the Wounded Warrior Project and make introductions. The Wounded Warrior Project was founded in 2003 in Roanoke, Va., by a group of veterans and their friends. The main headquarters is in Jacksonville, Fla., and the group also has an office in Washington, D.C. It is a 501(c)(3) charitable organization.

“The funding goes to help in service-connected injuries and illnesses to our veterans since Sept. 11, 2001,” said Todryk. “It started as a small grass-roots effort to provide immediate assistance to these warriors. We do fund-raising specifically for the Wounded Warrior Project, but also the Vietnam Veterans Honor Society will have a tent on our grounds.”

Explaining their mission, he added, “The Wounded Warrior Project is a nonpartisan organization. Our efforts are 100 percent to support our wounded veterans. We do found-raising for different things. The next one is a fund-raiser for Patriots’ Gateway Center at the Golf Outing Sept. 16. The cost for that is $50, which includes golf, food, drinks, prizes and premiums.”

More information about Wounded Warrior Project

As of May 9, 2011, wounded warriors and their caregivers may begin applying for new benefits under the Caregivers and Veterans Omnibus Health Services Act of 2010. The law directs the Department of Veterans Affairs to provide assistance to caregivers of warriors who need ongoing personal care services because of the serious injuries (including traumatic brain injury and psychological trauma) incurred in the line of duty on or after 9/11.

In addition to the more than 40,000 service members who have been injured in the current conflicts, more than 300,000 people are believed to suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). WWP also promotes Restore, an online, multi-media tool that offers warriors and caregivers the chance to learn about readjustment challenges. Warriors can take self-assessments and participate in interactive skill-building exercises that provide practical ways to deal with combat and operational stress. Restore is an anonymous environment that is only accessible through WWP Connect.

From the June 22-28 issue