My brother's best friend, Joe, is a retired Lieutenant Colonel of the US Air Force. To me, he's truly a national hero. He flew the first mission of what was called Desert Shield and flew many other missions that I'm afraid to share publicly, but I'm sure you all saw them on TV and would know the significance of the activity immediately.

As Joe shared, combat missions are hours of nothingness, boredom and anticipation, followed by several minutes of pure Hell. He saw airmen curled under their stations in the C-130, crying and trembling in fear, and of course, many others "braving" their way through their fears, Joe included.

Although he left his career behind and has retired to a beautiful farm in the Tennessee mountains, his career hasn't left him. He served our country in ways I can't imagine - risking everything on every mission. My clients yell at me, but they don't aim weapons at me.

As a result of his service to our country, he suffers from PTSD, like so many of our service men and women. I've seen him deal with sleepless nights, pause our daily activities so he could take a nap, and suffer daily as a result. While I can't take the war out of Joe, I can ride 100 miles to raise funds to help others like him. The purpose of the Foster 100 is to help veterans by providing service dogs that help them better deal with PTSD. In their words:

Team Foster hosts the Foster 100 - a 100 mile cycling event - to raise money and honor the spirit and sacrifice of Captain Erick Foster who was killed while engaging enemy forces in 2007 in Iraq. To carry on Erick’s legacy, our fundraising supports Team Foster’s mission: No Hero Left Behind.

All of the proceeds benefit wounded Veterans through Team Foster, a charity dedicated to ensuring there is No Hero Left Behind. Team Foster's primary mission is to raise money to fund service dogs local injured Veterans suffering, including post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and traumatic brain injury (TBI) —all at no cost to our Veterans.. 

Even a small donation will help me achieve my goal!  The process is fast, easy, and secure. 

Help support our wounded Veterans and Team Foster as we take on the 100-mile challenge!

For more about Team Foster and the 100, please visit our website and like the Foster 100 Facebook Page.

Thank you for your support!

2022 Foster 100

The Foster 100 has been Team Foster's signature event since 2014. This year participants will be riding their bikes at least 100 miles during Foster Week or riding 100 miles in one day during the Foster 100 Classic.

Why We Ride: Your efforts will raise money to provide trained service dogs at no cost to local Veterans, including those suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and traumatic brain injury (TBI). We lose 20+ Veterans and service members to suicide every day. Service dogs change the lives of Veterans by providing the physical support and performing complex tasks enabling the Veteran to heal.

Inspiration: Your efforts as a member of Team Foster will honor the spirit and sacrifice of Captain Erick Foster who was killed while engaging enemy; forces in 2007 in Iraq. Erick was a warrior, a leader and an inspiration. He pushed himself and those around him to be better – to go a little farther, to give a little more. And that’s what Team Foster does. We go a little farther, we give a little more to support the service men and women who kept us safe.

We want YOU to go a little farther and give a little more.

For more about Team Foster and the 100, please visit our website and like the Foster 100 Facebook Page.

Team Foster is a 501(c)(3) charity organization founded to honor Captain Erick Foster though its mission: No Hero Left Behind.  Team Foster fights for the unmet needs of injured and disabled Veterans by bringing together civilians, Veterans and highly trained service dogs.

We do this by:

• Helping Veterans obtain highly-trained service dogs they need at no cost,
• Providing grants for the unmet needs of Veterans and their service dog,
• Ensuring Veteran service dogs receive the highest quality training,
• Promote Awareness of Service-Related PTSD and TBI, and advocate for the long-term needs of our Veterans.

If your company or organization is interested in sponsoring Team Foster, please email us at [email protected] for opportunities.

Team Foster was founded in honor of Captain Erick Foster.  A natural leader and a warrior, Erick pushed those around them to do more and to take care of their teammates.

Team Foster seeks to honor Erick's legacy by pushing ourselves and taking care of our teammates - the Veterans who have sacrificed so much on our behalf. Post-traumatic stress (PTSD) and Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) are the signature wounds of post-9/11 warfare. Hundreds of thousand of Veterans have returned home afflicted with these invisible wounds. As a result, 20+ Veterans and military members lose their lives to suicide every day.

But there's hope: Service Dogs Save Lives.

Service dogs are an elegant solution to the complex symptoms of PTSD and TBI. An alternative to medications, these dogs have been proven over and over again to save the lives of our heroes. However, a properly trained and accredited service dog takes 2 years and costs over $25,000 to train. Team Foster fills this need and ensures that our Veterans receive the service dogs they need at no cost. We then partner with the Veteran to "watch their six" going forward by providing grants and additional support as needed.

Learn more about Team Foster at www.TeamFoster.org. Follow us on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter using the handle: @weareteamfoster.

Checks or matching donations may be sent to:

Team Foster, PO Box 2145, Philadelphia, PA, 19103

• David Gwyn donated $100.00 August 31, 2022
• Mike & Janine donated $75.00 August 31, 2022 ... "Go Dave!"
• Karin S donated $25.00 August 31, 2022
• Valerie and Chase donated $15.00 August 31, 2022 ... "Go Dave!!"