Members of the Zeta Phi chapter of Kappa Alpha Order at High Point University raised at total of over $26,000 for wounded veterans through their fundraising campaign, Operation KAre. The four month campaign, in which brothers solicited donations from friends and family, was able to purchase a brand-new TrackChair for local, U.S. Army veteran Michael Verardo who lost his right leg in Afghanistan in 2010. Exceeding their goal of $16,000, Zeta Phi was able to donate the remaining $10,000 to the Independence Fund which benefits wounded veterans.
“This Track Chair is going to help me get back to doing the things that I want to do like hiking and fishing,” said Verardo. “I have two small children, so I will be able to play with them in the backyard and it will help me as far as mobility. It really means a lot that the younger generation is coming out and helping veterans. It is really heartwarming to see that.”
“For us, it’s a matter of perspective. We are young men aged 18-22,” said Michael Esposito, Number I of Zeta Phi chapter. “While we are in the library cramming for a midterm or spending time with our friends on a Saturday night, there are men and women around the world – the same age as us – serving this country. We want to do a humble service for a wounded veteran who has fought to keep us safe and free.”
Zeta Phi’s efforts were picked up by the national media. Below are the links to some of the stories.
