Victor 12, in partnership with Veteran Success Resource Group, paid tribute to our founder, friend, and mentor, Burt Williams. Victor 12 was the sole contributor of the $23,000 in grant funds awarded to three veteran-owned businesses. The event took place on January 21, 2020 at the Bourbiz House of Blues Las Vegas at Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino Veteran Resource Event, Las Vegas, NV. A summary of the event can be viewed at: http://bourbiz.com/social/

The three awardees of the second Burt Williams Veteran Small Business Grant included:

1. The Bastards’ Road Project (BRP) @bastardsroadproject is a non-profit dedicated to taking veterans on long distance hikes to heal the wounds of war.

In 2004, Jonathan Hancock fought in the Battle of Ramadi with the 2nd Battalion, 4th Marines. They suffered one of the highest casualty rates in the Iraq War, 1 in 4 were wounded or killed. Hancock struggled to reacclimate when he came home in 2009. In 2015, he embarked on an epic journey to save himself – 5,800 miles across the country…on foot. This is where the road project was started.

BRP was created by Hancock and Tiffany Hallier. Following Hancock’s cross-country walk, and the success of the documentary film, Bastards’ Road, he knew there was something to be said about long-distance hiking and processing old memories. He had seen first-hand the healing effects of nature and the outdoors can have on the veteran and with this in mind, he was urged to start the dream of helping other veterans accomplish an arduous hike through the American wilderness along different trail systems in our nation’s national parks. Following a fundraiser for Bastards’ Road movie, Hallier and Handock set out to create what was in Handcock’s head and out of the noise came Bastards Road Project. https://www.bastardsroadproject.org/?fbclid=IwAR0vBBr9Kdv_M6fwozOusacwhBlswOQ4wYlbAVmvf3tzZVF1I6z8sC-7yuo

2. The MSG Daniel Lovell Foundation (MDLF) is a non-profit initiative aimed at combating veteran suicides through a variety of automotive based programs. MDLF is focused on providing a team setting that many veterans miss after completing their military service. Teams of veterans work together on automotive restorations to donate to other in-need veterans, or as a team preparing for the 48 Hours of Lemons. It provides a setting where veterans can share stories and provide emotional support while working towards a common goal. MDLF provides national awareness by participating in car shows, amateur races, and organizing other awareness events.
3. For the For-Profit Category: Military Fresh Network @militaryfreshnetworkis the grant winner! “The Military Fresh Network was created to show and prove to the world that we can serve our country yet remain the unique individuals we were created to be.”

“We were honored to participate in this second event and award three outstanding companies,” said John Coster, President/CEO of Victor 12. “The event was sold out again, with many new folks attending. This was another great job by our great friends at the Veteran Resource Support Group (VSRG), a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization dedicated to providing professional and personal resources for Veterans and their families. We will support Veteran Resource Expo events across the United States, where we will bring together a multitude of resources from nonprofit organizations, educational institutions, businesses, corporate hiring partners, and Government agencies.”