NewsCheck out ThanksUSA in the news.
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Kelsi Okun’s Childhood Dream Changes Lives || January 2019The Drive to Do Good
Kelsi Okun is a junior at Stanford University, captain of her school’s Intercollegiate Horse Shows Association (IHSA) team, and an active board member of ThanksUSA: the non-profit she co-founded with her sister Rachel at 8 and 10 years old. Military Families Face Unique Education Challenges || November 26, 2018Army Father, Daughter Inspire Path for Change
Twelve years ago Col. Lanier Ward (ret.) became the unwitting inspiration for two young neighbor girls, Rachel and Kelsi Okun, who committed themselves to do something for military families because of his sacrifices. The Mike Broomhead Show || November 11, 2018Honor Our Veterans
ThanksUSA's Chairman Bob Okun joins the iHeartRadio show on Veterans Day with a meaningful story about an Arizona couple making a difference for military families. Tennis Industry Magazine || November/December 2018USPTA ADDvantage: Learn From the Pros
On tennis courts across the country, USPTA tennis professionals are uniting by honoring military families. ThanksUSA’s Tennis Thanks the Troops (TTTT) program is a charitable beneficiary of events hosted at clubs and public facilities across many USPTA divisions. USPTA ADDvantage Magazine || July 2018Tennis Thanks the Troops All-American Family Day Bash
Since 2012, USPTA has partnered with ThanksUSA through Tennis Thanks the Troops to honor and support military families. And, for the fifth year the Junior Tennis Champions Center (JTCC) in College Park, Maryland, voluntarily hosted an All-American Family Day Bash on Memorial Day weekend.
The Mercury News || February 27, 2018How Stephen Curry Focused More on Philanthropy Efforts than "Noise"
“All the noise around our country, the different problems and issues that have arisen and the people that are trying to divide our country puts everything into perspective,” Curry said. “We’re all so small in this world. But we all have an opportunity to do something good and find our unique way to make an impact.”
Military Times || December 6, 2017Military Spouse Scholarships: Where to Apply, and How to Find More Cash for School
Education, especially the type that leads to gainful employment, is important for military spouses. But it’s not cheap. Some spouses may benefit from the transfer of Post-9/11 GI Bill benefits from their significant other, but that program’s rules may change and some military couples may choose to pass those benefits onto their children.
Tennis Industry Magazine || November/December 2017USPTA ADDvantage: A Journey of Self-Healing Through Tennis
Anyone who plays tennis knows that the game is so much more than what happens on the court. No one knows this better than Isaac Cortes, an Army, Air Force and Navy Veteran who suffers from Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder and a Traumatic Brain Injury as a result of a deployment to Iraq in 2003.
Strada Education Network Blog || November 2017Purposeful Pathways for Military Families
ThanksUSA's Chairman and CEO Bob Okun shares the vision and direction of ThanksUSA highlighting the new initiative Pathways for Patriots.
HuffPost || November 4, 2017Catalogue for Philanthropy Salutes Vets by Highlighting "ThanksUSA"
The Catalogue for Philanthropy, Washington’s trusted “go to” source for finding organizations with meaningful impact, has compiled this year’s “best of” list of charities serving local veterans and their families.
Bisnow || November 2, 2017Treasure Our Troops Gala!
ThanksUSA hosted their annual Treasure Our Troops Gala at the Four Season Hotel in Washington, D.C. The event featured General David L. Goldfein as keynote speaker and honored American Airlines and Kaplan University.
WUSA9 || October 26, 2017Giving Back to Military Spouses and Kids
Living on one income is a tough reality for a lot of military families. Multiple surveys show military spouses have up to a 3-time higher unemployment rate than other Americans.
ABC7 WJLA || October 24, 2017ThanksUSA: Providing Educational Opportunities to Military Families
Pro football hall of famer Darrell Green, ThanksUSA President Lieutenant Colonel Kevin Schmiegel, and scholarship recipient Leslie Caleb, shared their mission to expand opportunities for our country’s heroic families.
HuffPost || August 16, 2017Here's How to Support Military Families Paying for College: ThanksUSA
The Catalogue for Philanthropy: Greater Washington is a great resource for learning about all the nonprofits in the region helping students go back to school. One of my favorite education focused nonprofits in the Catalogue is ThanksUSA, because I have so much respect for military families and their hardships.
Fox 5 News || May 26, 2017Organization Helps Military Families Get an Education
Taylor Curry, 22, always had his heart set on attending a private college but didn't know how he'd afford it. That was before he heard about the nonprofit called ThanksUSA.
Tennis On Point || May 25, 2017Adapting Tennis, Improving Lives
Tennis Thanks the Troops began a weekly Wounded Veterans Adaptive Tennis Clinic at East Potomac Tennis Center in Washington, DC. The vision is to give back to wounded veterans by offering them a fun way to stay active and socialize, while advancing their rehabilitation.
Tennis Industry Magazine || May 2017USPTA ADDvantage: A Weekly Tribute to Our Troops
Every Friday afternoon, wounded veterans attend a Veterans Adaptive Tennis Clinic run by military non-profit ThanksUSA and Tennis Thanks the Troops.
Liberty News || May 5, 2017Former Army Chief of Staff Gen. George Casey to Speak at ROTC Commissioning
U.S. Army General George Casey, who served as the Army’s Chief of Staff from 2007-11, will be the keynote speaker for Liberty University’s Army ROTC Commissioning Ceremony on Friday, May 12.
Careers + Continuing Education || April 2017Navy Family Member Benefits from New STEM Program
ThanksUSA's new national program, Pathways for Patriots, is focusing on helping military families fill the gap in qualified applicants in the fields of science, technology, engineering and math, otherwise known as STEM, and one of its beneficiaries is a Virginia Beach Navy family member.
Tennis Industry Magazine || April 2017More than a Sport: Tennis Thanks the Troops with Veterans Adaptive Clinic in Orlando
On January 13 in Orlando, Veterans from the nearby Orlando VA Medical Center participated in a Veterans Adaptive Tennis Clinic at Isleworth Golf and Country Club. The clinic was hosted by ThanksUSA, a nonprofit organization that provides scholarships to military families with the help of generous USTA and USPTA Foundations grants and volunteers.
Bisnow || March 14, 2017Pathways for Patriots!
ThanksUSA held a reception at the Rayburn House Office Building to fête its new initiative, called Pathways for Patriots. The initiative encourages companies from different industries in the private sector to create pipelines of military spouses and children interested in pursuing degrees, certifications and ultimately careers in occupations that companies are struggling to fill.
Catalogue Blog || November 10, 20167 Questions this Veterans Day
In honor of Veterans Day, the Catalogue for Philanthropy spoke with Andrea Barreiro, a ThanksUSA scholarship recipient and Army spouse who is currently studying at Kaplan University.
Tennis Industry Magazine || August 2016USPTA ADDvantage: Tennis Marathon Breaks Guinness World Record and Supports ThanksUSA
As morning broke on Saturday of the Fourth of July weekend, Bonnie Vona was completing her 38th tennis match in an attempt to break the Guinness World Record (GWR) for Most Consecutive Opponents in Tennis Singles.
USA TODAY || July 6, 2016Military Families Deserve More Than Lip Service
A decade ago, two young girls found a way to repay the sacrifices that military families have made on our behalf. Seeing their classmate’s father return from Iraq with severe injuries, they created ThanksUSA, a national non-profit dedicated to providing post-secondary school scholarships to children and spouses of those serving on active duty.
ABC7 WJLA || July 4, 2016Va. Grandma Completes 38 Consecutive Tennis Single-Matches Breaking Guinness Book Record
Bonna Vona, a 61-year-old grandmother, set out to beat the Guinness Book Record of most consecutive singles matches, aiming to raise enough money for 24 scholarships for children and spouses of military service members.
Mid-Atlantic Match Point || Summer 2016Bonnie Vona Breaks Tennis Record for Military Families to Celebrate July 4th
As many of us planned our Independence Day activities, Bonnie Vona was completing a record-breaking performance at the Montgomery TennisPlex in Boyds, Maryland.
Connection Newspapers || June 28, 2016Restonian Takes 72-Hour Tennis Marathon Challenge
From the kayakers to the trail runners at her Lake Anne residence, tennis marathon challenger Bonnie Vona sees workout opportunities abounding. After all, the 61 year old is training for the endeavor of a lifetime.
WUSA9 || June 23, 2016Salute to Service: Tennis for Wounded Warriors
A Prince George’s County woman is helping injured veterans in a unique way. Former tennis champion Brenda Gilmore of Largo understands some of their challenges firsthand.
ABC7 || June 17, 2016ThanksUSA Holds Tennis Clinic to Help Disabled Veterans
An organization that provides scholarships to military spouses and children called 'ThanksUSA' held a tennis clinic in Boyds, with pro Brenda Gilmore, for our nation's disabled veterans.
Tennis Industry Magazine || June 2016USPTA ADDvantage: Guinness World Record Tennis Challenge for ThanksUSA
A heart of gold, an indomitable spirit, and a rigorous workout regimen -- those are the ingredients 61-year-old USTA official and competitive tennis manager Bonnie Vona is depending on to propel her through a daunting 72-Hour Tennis Marathon Challenge in support of military families.
Tennis Industry Magazine || May 2016USPTA ADDvantage: Making a Difference on the Tennis Court – Stories Behind the Faces
By partnering with ThanksUSA, USPTA has donated $11,000 to the organization, and its divisions and members have donated more than $65,000 to the general scholarship fund in the last three years.
Tennis Industry Magazine || March 2016USPTA ADDvantage: USPTA Donates $5,000 to ThanksUSA Scholarship Fund
In an effort to continue its support of the Tennis Thanks The Troops campaign, USPTA donated $5,000 in January to ThanksUSA’s scholarship fund.
Tennis Industry Magazine || February 2016USPTA ADDvantage: Trip of a Lifetime to the US Open
ThanksUSA's Tennis Thanks the Troops campaign offers a reward to the club or pro that raises the most money: two tickets to the US Open along with airfare and lodging. For the third year in a row, the grand prize trip was awarded to
Berkeley Hills Country Club in Duluth, Georgia. CBS News || December 30, 2015Sisters Raise $10 Million in 10 Years for Military Families
Ten years ago, 10-year-old Rachel Okun and her sister Kelsi, 8, told their parents they had a big idea -- they wanted to say thank you to the troops in Iraq and Afghanistan by offering scholarships to their spouses and children.
Washington's Top News || November 11, 2015Virginia Sisters Create Charity to Help Children and Spouses of Service Members
Veterans Day comes once a year, but two local sisters are busy helping military families year-round.
WashingtonExec || May 22, 2014
Intelligent Decisions, RAI Services Host ThanksUSA Charity Golf Tournament
The 7th-annual tournament was hosted by Intelligent Decisions, based in Ashburn, and RAI Services Company, based in Winston-Salem. Intelligent Decisions, a global IT systems integrator, has supported ThanksUSA for the past six years.
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Golf Digest || December 2013 |
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Stephen Curry
Growing up in North Carolina, where he co-hosts the Curry Celebrity Classic, Stephen learned about golf and charity from his dad Dell, a former Charlotte Hornet who played 16 seasons in the NBA. In addition to Stephen establishing his ThanksUSA tournament for scholarships in California's Bay Area...
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NBC Bay Area (KNTV) || September 23, 2013Stephen Curry ThanksUSA Charity Golf Tournament
Guess who we found at the Presidio in San Francisco... Stephen Curry.
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Washington Army News Service || September 26, 2013Wounded Warrior Honored at Washington Event
Col. Lanier Ward, Commander of the 11th Armored Cavalry Regiment, was honored for his military service during an event hosted by the foundation he inspired two young girls to create.
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Northern Virginia Magazine || August 2008Big Thanks to Little Hearts – Military families receive college scholarships from grammar school philanthropists
While others are attending movies and concerts, catching a game at the new nationals’ stadium, or shopping at the mall, the Okuns have assembled to conduct business, just as they have most Sunday afternoons for the last three years.
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Wall Street Journal Opinion || August 28, 2007Will You Answer the Call?
Two years ago, my daughters opened my eyes to a national disconnect between average citizens and solders. What started as a kitchen-table idea evolved into ThanksUSA, providing post-secondary school scholarships to the children and spouses of those serving on active duty, particularly in Iraq and Afghanistan.
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2013 News Archive
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2012 News Archive
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