Match4Military donations fall short during 2021 PLAYERS Championship

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Local veterans groups are missing out on about $125,000 after the Match4Military donations fell short during THE PLAYERS Championship.

The tournament helps raise money for local military organizations like K9s for Warriors, the Fire Watch, the Greater Jacksonville Area USO, and more who depend on support from the community to help veterans in our area.

Action News Jax spoke with Veteran Adam Fuller. Fuller is a graduate of K9s for Warriors and his service dog was named after the 2016 PLAYERS championship winner Jason Day.

Fuller suffers from PTSD. He served five years in the Army as a medic but his life took a positive turn after he met JD.

“The minute I saw JD it was just one of those, like, firework moments, where nothing else mattered. Nothing was going on. It was just me and him having a moment,” Fuller said.

With limited capacity allowed at TPC this year, the tournament’s Match4Military campaign came up short from its $250,000 dollar goal. It raised $126,950.

That money helps organizations like the Fire Watch combat veteran suicide.

“We train people to understand the risk signs of veterans in crisis. The more that we have out there doing that, the more we think we’ll have to prevent veteran suicide,” Nick Howland, the director of the Fire Watch, said.

Howland told Action News Jax veteran suicide is at an all time high and the numbers are shocking.

In 2018 we lost 6,435 veterans across the nation and 577 of them were in Florida.

The suicide rate for veterans is also 1.5 times the rate of non-veteran adults.

The donations from TPC usually help veterans get free services.

Fuller said these are the programs that can save a veteran’s life.

“When you have your service dog and you’re out there in the world living your life and you’re getting out of the house more, you’re making better connections with people and you’re learning different skills to cope with anxiety, Fuller said.

You can still help make up the Match4Military’s missed goal by donating directly to these organizations.

Cox Media Group