ST. LOUIS — The annual Folds of Honor campaign sponsored by Schnucks is underway.
Now through July 4th, shoppers can round up at the register with the proceeds going towards scholarships for spouses and children of fallen and wounded service members. 5 On Your Side is a proud partner of the Folds of Honor campaign.
Each year, 5 On Your Side highlights area scholarship recipients. One of them is Madison Franken, who's studying to be a nurse.
"I obtained my CNA before I even graduated high school so that was a huge accomplishment,” said Franken. "I have worked in nursing homes and home health. I've worked as a patient care tech in a local hospital on an orthopedic floor."
Caring for others comes naturally for Franken.
"So I've always kind of had that feeling like medicine was just where I was supposed to be."
Franken is a wife, mother and nursing student at Chamberlain University in Maryland Heights.
"I wouldn't consider it a career for her,” said her husband John. "I think it's more of a passion, dedication."
Dedication is something John Franken knows all about.
“I decided I want to be a Marine when I was probably eight years old, I think we were at a Toys for Tots Foundation, and I actually saw a Marine and his dress blues, and I just fell in love with that uniform,” said John Franken.
After a training accident ended John’s time in the service, the couple's focus turned to Madison's dream of becoming a nurse.
“When she came to me and asked if she could use my disabled veteran status as a way to get some extra funding for school, I thought that was amazing, that there was a foundation that did that for for disabled veterans,” said John. And to be a part of that, I am so honored."
Folds of Honor provides scholarships to the spouses and children of America's fallen or disabled service members.
Madison applied and received $5,000 for her tuition.
"So the scholarship has definitely helped with making my dreams come true because I don't have to worry so much about the financial side of it,” said Madison. I get to focus more on my studies and my duties here as a student than how I'm going to pay for school.”
“College isn't cheap. So whenever you get that little bump of help from what you did previous, from your service, I think that's amazing,” said John.
The program honors the sacrifice of service members by helping their family members move forward.
“I want to change nursing and I want to improve it and be the best nurse that I can be and provide the best care that I can,” said Madison.
“She’s going to be a great nurse,” said John Franken.
It's the 5th year for the Folds of Honor campaign sponsored by Schnucks. Thanks to shoppers rounding up at the register, Schnucks has been able to donate more than $4 million and fund 820 educational scholarships for Folds of Honor. This year’s campaign runs through July 4th.