The Ole and Ruth Tweet Family Fund, a fund within the Northwest Minnesota Foundation family of funds, has supported a nonprofit that takes veterans on Honor Flights to Washington, D.C. so they can experience the memorials honoring their service.
Ole’s father served in the U.S. Army, during which he fought and was wounded in the Battle of the Bulge; Ruth’s father was a U.S. Navy pilot. They said they have a soft spot for veterans and are pleased to be able to support these Honor Flights, as they’re sure both their fathers would have loved such a trip themselves.
Each Honor Flight brings more than 100 veterans to D.C., according to Veterans Honor Flight of ND/MN. More than 1,900 veterans have been able to experience an Honor Flight since the effort started.
One of the veterans was terminally ill during his Honor Flight in a recent trip. Both the nonprofit and the veteran’s son had encouraged him to take the flight, and with the support of his son and the medical staff he was able to have a successful trip experience.
When the veteran arrived at the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Wall, he listed the servicemen he’d served with, finding their names etched into the memorial, according to the final grant report from the Veterans Honor Flight of ND/MN. He’d never shared these names or experiences with his son before the trip.
A few weeks after returning home, the veteran passed away. When staff with the nonprofit called the son to express their condolences, the son said that his father had never before talked about his experiences in the war but their shared Honor Flight brought that opportunity to them both; his father was at peace when he passed on.
The son said that trip with his father was among his best times he’d had with his and father and he was deeply appreciative for that shared experience with his father.
To learn more about the Veterans Honor Flight of ND/MN, visit https://veteranshonorflightofndmn.org/
What is a donor advised fund?
The Ole and Ruth Tweet Family Fund is among the donor-advised funds managed by the Northwest Minnesota Foundation. These funds are established by individuals and families who want to leave a lasting legacy to the communities and efforts they value most.
Each fund is able to give a grants and support to nonprofits of their choosing. Anyone can contribute tax-deductible donations to their donor-advised fund at any time! Donor-advised funds also provide the maximum flexibility for giving while also avoiding additional taxes and restrictions that can be imposed on private foundations.
To learn more about establishing a donor-advised fund, visit https://nwmf.org/donors-giving/ways-to-give/donor-advised-funds/
