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Six students met on Lafayette’s campus 15 years ago and formed a bond unable to be broken over time and distance.
Now they’ve strengthened that bond through a partnership with the nonprofit National Military Family Association (NMFA) that honors the struggles of distance and sacrifice endured by the families of American soldiers, To benefit NMFA – and establish a scholarship at Lafayette – they created Marquis Trust Group and its HomeFront Cards program, which encourages Americans to recognize the sacrifices made by military families.
Founding members Michael Waldron, Tom Neale, Constantine (Cony) Chigounis, Scott Craig, Jim Strabo, and Chris Chamides, all members of the class of ‘92, decided to go into business together to develop “ideas, products and services that help foster and solidify a more meaningful, enjoyable and rewarding lifestyle,” according to the group’s mission statement. The alumni, who all get together at least twice each year, formed Marquis Trust in tribute to the Marquis de Lafayette, their college, and their friendship.
Chigounis and Waldron went to high school together and decided to continue their schooling at Lafayette. “We met everyone else freshman year during pre-season soccer practices, freshman orientation, and pledging a fraternity,” says Waldron, who majored in English and government & law.
“At the end of the day, we were sitting pretty helplessly watching the war unfold. We all bring a skill set to the group, so we decided to do something positive for military families,” he says. “It was not even a question [after graduation] of whether we would be togetherwhen we left school, family members and friends said they had never seen such a bond developed.”
“We all have established careers,” he continues, “and we would sit around and talk about spending more time togetherso we came up with this foundation to pursue ideas.”
HomeFront Cards can be purchased by one person, a family, or a large organization, and are ordered and personalized with a name, hometown, and words of thanks from the sender. The cards are then placed in a collection box or mailed to a screening and delivery location. They will reach thousands of families across the nation, including those with loved ones in the 3rd Infantry Division of Fort Stewart, Ga. According to Neale, the division has been deployed for 16 of the last 20 months.
“The HomeFront Cards campaign is a unique and inspiring way for Americans to say ‘thank you’ and to touch the lives of military families both domestically and overseas,” says Waldron.
Through a message exchange at www.homefrontcards.com, military families can show gratitude for the cards, and the senders can see how their time and effort benefited someone else.
The program will continue after American troops return home from Iraq. Marquis Trust Group will donate 25% of net proceeds from sales of the cards to benefit NMFA programs and services. It also will endow a scholarship at Lafayette for students who have a parent serving in the military.
“We thought that we should continue to give back to Lafayette,” said Waldron. “We all benefited tremendously from the experiences there, both socially and academically. We hope that other alumni in leadership positions support HomeFront Cards to demonstrate how much the Lafayette community appreciates the service and sacrifice of our military’s families.”
Neale graduated the ROTC program as top cadet, then served from 1992-95 as U.S. Army Infantry Officer and Airborne Ranger in the 82nd Airborne Division. He held the Company Executive Officer position, taking responsibility for 120 people in a deployment unit.
“It was the best professional experience of my life. As a military officer and a leader, I was exposed to responsibility, and it is not a 9-to-5 job. I was responsible for people’s livelihood,” says Neale. “I can’t think of any profession where you are sacrificing as much as people who serve in the military do.”
He grew up as a self-professed Army brat. “My father was a 32-year career officer. I got a good taste of the sacrifices and contributions made behind the scenes,” Neale says. “I have the utmost respect for the profession. They have respect for a higher purposeI have never come across people of more character and integrity.”
For more information about the Marquis Trust Group, visit www.MarquisTrustGroup.com.