Young man on a mission

Brad Jennings
Posted 5/9/18

Ask Conner Young about his drive to raise money for military veterans, and the response you get is detailed and impressive.

When you consider that Young is a 17-year-old Oregon High School junior, it is even more impressive.

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Young man on a mission

Posted

OREGON – Ask Conner Young about his drive to raise money for military veterans, and the response you get is detailed and impressive.
When you consider that Young is a 17-year-old Oregon High School junior, it is even more impressive.
For the second year, Young is raising money for Mission 22, an Indiana-based organization that raises money and awareness for military veterans suffering from Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), and Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI).
“Unfortunately, there are about 22 veterans a day that take their life due to those things,” Young said.
So instead of talking about it, Young is doing something about it. Last year, he walked 22 miles in six hours and 45 minutes and raised $4,500 for Mission 22. That surpassed his goal of $3,000.
This year, he is walking again, in and around Oregon. His walk will take place on May 12, and he will start from his home base on the Courthouse lawn at 6:30 a.m. His goal this year is to raise $5,000 to help veterans.

“The war at home is the most-deadly conflict any of the armed services have been in,” he said of veterans who suffer from PTSD and TBI. “We need to step up.”
Young first got involved with Mission 22 as part of the Open Program at OHS. As part of the class, he had to pick a service project. He researched programs that help veterans and found Mission 22.
“I found they really do what they say they do,” he said.
Young takes donations for his walk, but also has spoken to groups in the area to raise money. He  even has $50, $100 and $300 packages for local businesses who would like to contribute.
He said he came up with much of the fundraising plan himself, but also had the advice of OHS teacher Aaron Sitze.
Young, the son of Phil and Delene Young of Oregon, said he welcomes people who would like to walk with him on May 12. He said last year 11 people walked with him at various times, including some veterans.
“If someone wants to show up and walk, my dad can give me a call and he can give them a ride out to wherever I am at the time,” he said.
So, why veterans?
“I plan on going in the service,” said Young, who plans to join the Army. “I’ve known that I wanted to serve since I was 13.”
If anyone would like to contribute to Mission 22, Young said they can write a check to the organization and drop it off at OHS for him. He said the goal of Mission 22, and his goal, is to take the number of suicides by veterans from 22 per day down to zero.