Sept. 29, 2021 - Sue Downes is a mother of two from Tazewell, Tennessee. She is also a decorated U.S. Army veteran who sustained serious injuries while serving as a Corporal with a military police unit in Logar province, Afghanistan. Downes’ injuries included the loss of both of her legs.

Downes was awarded a Bronze Star, two Purple Hearts, the Army Achievement Medal and the Combat Action Badge. She works to serve other veterans and help them recover from their own wounds even while focusing on her own healing.

Downes is one of many catastrophically injured veterans helped by the Independence Fund, a non-profit organization based in North Carolina. The Independence Fund’s Mobility program provides catastrophically wounded veterans the chance to regain their independence by providing them with all-terrain track chairs.

Draper is teaming with Mermet USA and our customers to raise $20,000 to provide one of these mobility chairs to Downes.

"Many veterans weren’t just wounded—like Sue they were catastrophically injured and can no longer experience activities they previously enjoyed," said Chris Broome, president of Draper, Inc. "Family is important at Draper, and many members of our family are veterans. Raising money for an all-terrain chair for Corporal Downes is a way we can have an impact on not just on her, but also her entire family."

This is the second time Draper has raised money for the Independence Fund. We previously combined with Mermet and other partners to provide funding for two mobility chairs in 2020.

"I’m very happy and grateful," said Frankie Davis, one of the two veterans who received an ATV chair. He said it has allowed him to be able to do things he loves but had been unable to participant in due to his injuries.

"It allows me to go to the mountains, and to the beach, hunting, fishing."

We hope you’ll join us in this effort to help Sue Downes regain a sense of freedom and mobility. Click here to support this fundraiser for The Independence Project.

https://www.donate-draper.com/

By Terry Coffey