On a bright Saturday afternoon, I headed to Dahlonega for a small town political picnic. Just before you get into Dahlonega, there are white crosses with names of soldiers that have given the ultimate sacrifice for freedom. There were names on each one and the name of the war in which they died. Most of them were men, but I am sure I saw one or two with women's names on them. There are surely family members that can tell their stories, but it was still humbling seeing the names one by one along the road.
My father was a veteran of World War II. He went in the Army on a dare, thinking he would get his two years in and get out before America got into the war. Like many men, he was a reluctant hero. Before he got out, the attack on Pearl Harbor happened and he ended up in the Army for 6 years all together. He commanded men younger than he was; he was the old man by comparison at 31. The last 9 months of active duty he spent as a POW. He and three of his buddies escaped and made it back to Allied forces. That experience more than any other shaped the way he viewed his life.
My father made it home, but many did not. In later wars, not as many men and women were killed but for every soldier that is killed there is a family and sometimes children. In today's all volunteer military, it is more likely that a soldier will have a family. It is my belief that there is no better way to show support for the casualties of freedom than to help educate their children.
The military does a better job in caring for the families of fallen soldiers. There is a monthly stipend and a life insurance policy that pays about $250,000. This won't make the families rich, but it's enough, if managed right, to raise the children of the heroes. College is another issue. That's where the Freedom Alliance Scholarship Fund comes through (www.freedomalliance.org).
After the Viet Nam conflict was over, Oliver North began the Freedom Alliance Scholarship Fund for the children of fallen Marines. He was the first to do this privately in such an organized way. He had no problem getting fund planners to volunteer their services which kept their overhead at less than 2%. The fund was so successful that the other branches of the service asked if they could participate.
That brings us to the Freedom Alliance Scholarship Fund of today. The fund provides college scholarships to the children of fallen soldiers as well as the children of MIA/POW status and those that are 100% disabled. At the start of the War on Terror, most of the Viet Nam era children had been educated and there was a need to build up the funds for the children entering the system at this point.
Over the last two years, I have been honored to be involved on many different levels. Last year we raised $10,000 made up of small donations for the Freedom Alliance Scholarship Fund. Our goal this year is $30,000 by July 8. All of this money has been earmarked for scholarships and none will go to overhead costs.
Thankfully, there have been few children that have been affected by this tragedy in our area, but currently in Georgia, there are 4 young people that are benefiting from this scholarship.
Shari and Randi Rifkin are sisters from Midland, Georgia. Their father was killed in the line of duty and was a military doctor with 20 years in the Army and the Reserves. Shari is attending Georgia Tech, majoring in Aerospace Engineering with a 3.64 Grade Point Average (GPA). Her sister, Randi, is a junior at the University of North Carolina in Greensboro. She is a dancer and a gymnast majoring in Theatre and Sports Science with a 3.84 GPA.
Taylor Bertley lives in Atlanta and attends Spelman College where she maintains a 3.3 GPA. Her father served 4 years in the Army and is 100% disabled from injuries received in combat. He is not deceased. Taylor majors in Psychology and is in the Honor Society and has been named to the Dean's List. She is a member of the National Society Of Black Engineers and does volunteer work in Atlanta.
Courtney Rigdon lives in Pearson, Georgia and attends Valdosta State University (one of the best kept higher education secrets in Georgia). Courtnie's father was a U.S. Marine who was permanently disabled. She is Majoring in Secondary English Education.
My hope is that we will never have in our community someone who needs this scholarship but when we do, The Freedom Alliance Scholarship Fund will be there. If you need a reason to be involved, take a drive up Highway 60 into Dahlonega, read the names on the crosses and you will know that supporting the Freedom Alliance Scholarship Fund is one of the best things you will ever do.
Martha Zoller is a political analyst and talk show host for WDUN. You can find out more about the Freedom Alliance and her work with it by logging on to www.marthazoller.com.
Wednesday
May 21st, 2025
1:41AM
