Thank You Letter from Vehicle Recipient Rylee

Although I am not in the military myself, the military has drastically affected my life. Both of my parents were in the Air Force. My dad served in the USAF and retired after 21 years of service, and my mom served 4 years active duty, and 4 years in the reserves. My mom and dad are both Operation Desert Storm Veterans, and my dad served during OEF/OIF. Most of my life I have been volunteering with my mom for veterans organizations, and I still help her out with her continuing volunteer work when I can.

I am currently a student at the University of Arizona, and am about to enter my junior year of my undergraduate degree. I major in Theatre Design and Technology with an emphasis in Technical Direction. In short, I build sets and scenery for theatre and performance. This summer of 2019, I had the amazing opportunity to participate in an internship for the Colorado Shakespeare Festival. Unfortunately, after the internship, during my drive back to Arizona, my car broke down. I was extremely worried that I would not have an effective method of transportation to and from school.

Jay Humphrey and everyone at Up By Their Bootstraps really saved me with their generosity. I am forever grateful for their dedication to helping Veterans and their families in need, and forever grateful that God crossed our paths. They provided me with a car that can get me to and from school, so that I can finish my Bachelors degree. I look forward to being able to pay this amazing kindness forward.

Sincerely,
Rylee P. Garvine