Minnesota non-profit honors local vets

Deployed
Members of the Minnesota National Guard line upduring a deployment ceremony in St. Paul.
MPR photo/Tom Weber

Some Minnesota soldiers who served in Iraq and Afghanistan will be recognized during a ceremony at the State Capitol this morning.

Event organizer, Skip Krawczyk said the seven veterans are being awarded grants from the non-profit Minnesotans' Military Appreciation Fund.

"We just want to keep bringing to light that we have veterans in Minnesota that are signing up on their own. That there are Minnesotans out there that are in hardship places, as well as their families and we need to say thanks to them," Krawczyk said.

The fund has raised $8 million for veterans who have fought in a combat zone since the 9/11 terrorist attacks.

So far, the organization has distributed 6,800 grants, totaling more than $4.3 million. The grants start at $500.

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