Businesses and organizations in the Fayetteville Area love to give to back to deserving causes, and Kristen Nett, community and media relations for the Fayetteville Woodpeckers, captured one of those many examples in the act.
Benefitting the Rick Herrema Foundation and Off-Road Outreach NC, the Woodpeckers launched their Backpacks For Patriots initiative with a purchase of 187 backpacks from the Fayetteville-based Military Luggage Company to stuff with a variety of necessities and donated goods.
The backpacks will be distributed to homeless veterans and low-income military families.
“Thank you to our Woodpeckers Community Leaders Program partners for making investments into our community, like this one, possible: Segra, American States Utility Services, Inc., Blanton’s Air, Plumbing & Electric, AEVEX Aerospace and Walsingham Group, Inc.,” said Nett in a LinkedIn post that announced the $7,480 dollar backpack purchase.
Just last week, Nett took to LinkedIn to recognize even more organizations who contributed to the event. “Thank you to everyone who made this event a success! (The Rick Herrema Foundation, Off-Road Outreach, True Patriot, the Military Luggage Company, Fayetteville Vet Center, ServiceSource, Red Cross, Veterans Bridge Home, GCU, Future Endeavors Leadership, Operation Inasmuch, FTCC, NCWorks, Cumberland County Schools),” she said.
On Monday, June 1, 2026, Tribe members from District 2 and District 15, the districts surrounding the area currently planned for the casino, met for a community meeting.Amidst the glitz and glamour of the idea of a new casino coming to the Lumbee Tri
This is the fourth year that ETI has hosted the event, and in years past Freeman has seen a host of innovative technology, including various drone types and programming, robotic dogs, 3D printed houses, and airspace scanners. Photo provided by USSOCO
Crystal McLean (left) with Scott Embry (right). Money Box Academy received a $10,000 grant from United Way of Cumberland County’s Youth Growth Stock Trust. Photos provided by Crystal McLean.The Youth Growth Stock Trust Committee, administered by the