O'FALLON, Mo. — This Memorial Day you may want to round up at the register and donate your spare change to Folds of Honor, which provides scholarships for family members of wounded and fallen service members and first responders.
In 1983, Mark Risse joined the Air National Guard for one reason.
"I loved my country,” Mark Risse said. “I wanted something to give back to them, so I wanted to join the military and do what I could do."
After switching disciplines and joining the Army Reserve, Risse served his country until 1991, but he still misses aspects of military life.
"The friendship, the family that you get within the military, and the experience,” Mark Risse said.
"All of the stuff he did there, and how he worked on helicopters and planes, it was neat to hear about those stories.,” Isaac Risse said.
These days Mark Risse enjoys spending time at home.
"I've got two of the most amazing sons you can ask for,” Mark Risse said.
So it should come as no surprise why his son Isaac, a sophomore marketing major at Mizzou, chose to attend college in Columbia.
"It's like an hour and a half away,” Isaac Risse said. “I can come home whenever I want."
"It's just not close for him to come home,” Mark Risse said. “It's close for us to go visit him as well."
Isaac was able to stay close to home thanks in part to his father's service, which qualified him for a Folds of Honor Scholarship.
"They gave back to the families that gave so much for their service,” Mark Risse said.
Since 2007, Folds of Honor has raised more than $240 million, supporting more than 51,000 families like the Risse’s.
Schnucks’ round-up at the register campaign has helped with those efforts for the past 7 years.
"It's great to see the amount of people that are putting their support into military families and giving them the support that they deserve for their sacrifices,” Isaac Risse said.
That's why when discussing the sacrifice his father, and millions of other service members have made, Isaac says there's only one thing to say.
"Thank you,” Isaac Risse said.
To donate to this year's Folds of Honor campaign you can round up at the register at any area Schnucks through Tuesday, May 28th.
5 On Your Side is a proud partner of the Folds of Honor campaign.
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