MOBILE, AL (WALA) –
Aerofest is taking flight at Brookley Field. Over the next two days the event is expected to attract thousands of folks and raise money for disabled veterans.
Party with a Purpose
There are two big stages with major acts like Big and Rich, Matisyahu, and Dawes. There are food trucks aplenty and even Mixed Martial Arts bouts in an octagon. Aerofest is truly a multi-faceted festival that the public can come to and have a lot of fun, but behind the fun there’s awareness that there are military veterans in desperate need of help.
Chris Wolfenbarger told us,”Twenty-two veterans a day are killing themselves. If we took every veteran in the last six months we could fill up this hangar right now. ”
Wolfenbarger is with the Foundation for Exceptional Warriors, a charitable organization that gives disabled veterans outdoor adventures. Going on these adventures helps to break the chains of depression.
“All of the sudden they realize they’re not alone. It creates a peer to peer network of veterans that are going though the same things they’re going through. ”
That’s where the profits from Aerofest are going and bringing the public in is key.
Ernest Barnard with Aerofest told us,”We have events that have historically only been attended by veterans and their families and the wider community is going to come together to learn, to do more for people who have sacrificed so much for out freedom. This is a party with a purpose. This is somewhere where you can have a socially conscious good time. You can come down here and enjoy all the wonderful food and bands and entertainment and know that you are doing the right thing by supporting our nations veterans particularly many that are here in the Gulf south. “