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Luke’s Wings Hopes To Connect Bethesda Community To Wounded Warriors

By WTOP Staff

A combat veteran undergoing treatment at Walter Reed participates in Luke's Wings annual Fashion Takes Flight Hero Gala, via Luke's Wings A combat vet at the annual Luke's Wings annual Fashion Takes Flight Hero Gala, via Luke's Wings

It’s not often that the Bethesda community interacts with the injured combat veterans behind the gates at the Walter Reed National Military Medical Center, despite the facility’s move to Bethesda three years ago.

A D.C.-based wounded warrior nonprofit wants to help change that with the help of a group of local businesses and the Greater Bethesda-Chevy Chase Chamber of Commerce.

Luke’s Wings (a BethesdaNow.com advertiser) is planning its first-ever Heroes Walk To Fly fundraiser for Sunday, Sept. 7 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.

The event will feature a family friendly 1.5-mile walk from the Stone Ridge School of the Sacred Heart, past Naval Support Activity Bethesda (where Walter Reed is located), through downtown Bethesda and ending at a community block party at Euro Motorcars Bethesda (7020 Arlington Rd.).

Luke’s Wings raises money for plane tickets and travel expenses for relatives of wounded warriors, many who must come long distances to visit loved ones requiring medical attention at Walter Reed.

“I feel like the number one goal is to get people out and to have families that live in Bethesda walk next to wounded warriors who live at Walter Reed,” said Emily Neufeld, director of corporate sponsorship for Luke’s Wings. “Next to that, we really want to rally these businesses around Walter Reed and get more people in Bethesda involved with the wounded warrior community that also calls Bethesda home.”

Registration costs $15 for children and $30 for adults. Jen Magerer, who communicates with families and helps books plane tickets with a travel agent, said Luke’s Wings has provided almost 2,000 flights since its inception in 2008 and 1,400 flights over the past two years.

The U.S. military provides just three flights at the inception of someone’s stay at Walter Reed, which proves difficult for Iraq and Afghanistan veterans who have been in Bethesda for three years or longer — dating back to Walter Reed’s previous location.

The average cost of a flight is $500. Luke’s Wings can also accept Delta SkyMiles donations of 1,000 miles or more.

Magerer and a small staff at the nonprofit work to set up flights for loved ones to visit on birthdays or major events. The group doesn’t limit the number of passengers and strives to meet all requests. Luke’s Wings also provides travel expenses for wounded warriors to visit family and in 2011 expanded to provide transportation for relatives of veterans in hospice care. Most are veterans from World War II the Korean War and the Vietnam War.

The group was founded by Luke Shirley, an Iraq War veteran who lost an arm and a leg in an IED blast, and Sarah Wingfield, a former Washington Redskins cheerleader who met Shirley while visiting troops in 2007.

The nonprofit is expecting about 300 people to participate in the walk, followed by the block party at Arlington Road and Bethesda Row.

Photo via Luke’s Wings

Don’t Settle for Student Loans to Pay for Online Education

By WTOP Staff
Online college programs are becoming a more popular choice for prospective students, with one study finding that more than 6 million students enrolled in at least one online course in fall 2015. The popularity of these courses can be attributed in part to their flexibility with working adults' schedules, students' ability to progress more quickly through online programs and, oftentimes, cheaper tuition. [See 10 low-cost online bachelor's programs for out-of-state students.]Online degrees can be beneficial to many college students, but some studies have shown online learners complete their programs at lower rates than students at traditional brick-and-mortar campuses. Individuals with student loans but no degree comprise two-thirds of defaulted borrowers. Though these numbers are not encouraging, just like for traditional programs, there are ways to reduce how much you'll need to borrow for an online program to ensure you won't become one of these statistics. Don't just settle on borrowing student loans to cover the whole cost of your program and living expenses. Instead, start thinking about how to cut costs and cover your balance in different ways, such as the following. -- Grants and scholarships: Even though you are taking an online course, you can still apply and receive grants and scholarships. But your first step should be to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, commonly referred to as the FAFSA, which will allow you to receive a Pell Grant if your expected family contribution is low enough. The EFC criteria and award amounts are adjusted annually, but the 2017-2018 academic year awards range from $606 to $5,920, which could significantly lower the amount you borrow annually. Your next step is to apply for scholarships. You can start by checking online scholarship search engines, such as the Salt Scholarship Search, College Board's BigFuture and Peterson's. But don't forget to take advantage of local organizations and your school's financial aid office. Both may offer scholarships that you can't find with a national scholarship search. [Review these 10 sites to kick off your scholarship search.]For instance, organizations like the Elks Club, Knights of Columbus or the Rotary Club typically offer scholarships annually to local students. Just because you're going to school online doesn't mean you're ineligible. Visit your local library for scholarship listings, and ask around town. You might be surprised how many local organizations offer scholarships. While these scholarships typically aren't large, every little bit counts. Each dollar you receive in a scholarship is a dollar you don't have to borrow and pay interest on. -- Work-study: Another option for online students may be work-study awards. Not all students enrolled in online programs are eligible, but students at some schools -- including, for example, SUNY Empire State College and Liberty University -- are. Work-study awards are not given upfront like scholarships and grants. In most cases, they are an offer to earn up to the awarded amount if you secure an eligible work-study job. While there is a misconception that all work-study jobs must be on campus, students can work for off-campus, nonprofit or public employers as long as the work is in the public's interest. You may be able to work for a for-profit employer if the job is relevant to your course of study. No matter who the outside employer is, it will need to have an established agreement with your college for you to receive work-study funds. Remember, to be eligible for federal financial aid, you must be enrolled and pursuing a degree or certificate. If you're not working toward a credential, Pell Grants and work-study won't be option, but you may still be able to take advantage of private scholarships -- just be sure to read the eligibility criteria carefully. [Explore what to know about financial aid in online programs.]-- Pay as you go: One of the great benefits to enrolling online is the flexible schedule, which can allow you to complete your college coursework around your responsibilities. But prospective students often overlook using their part- or full-time job earnings as an option for paying for college. Almost 80 percent of college students in 2015 worked at least part time while attending classes, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. By budgeting and thinking strategically about your college costs, you can likely reduce your dependence on student loans by paying a portion out of pocket. Many -- but not all -- online programs are less expensive than traditional programs and often have shorter payment periods. Six, eight or 10 weeks are common course durations. Because of the frequency of payments in an online setting, you may be well-placed to pay as you go and possibly avoid borrowing altogether. Attending college online and avoiding student loans may be challenging, but if you are willing to put in the effort, you can limit the amount you need to borrow. More from U.S. News Q&A: Understanding Student Loan Discharge Eligibility Student Loan Refinancing Isn't Right for All Borrowers
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