Retired U.S. Army Capt. Jason Church, left, of Milwaukee and U.S. Marines Sgt. Jordan Leitsch of Wautoma, were each presented with a $2,000 check by Retired U.S. Army Lt. Col. Jack Gibbons on Sunday at the newly revived car show sponsored by the Southern Wisconsin All Airborne Chapter of the 82nd Airborne Division Association Inc. Gibbons is the event’s new chairman. The association donates all of its proceeds to its wounded veterans program.
Terry Flores
Bob Mudge, left, and Rick Bogan, both of Racine, check out a classic car at the Southern Wisconsin All Airborne Chapter of the 82nd Airborne Division Association 2021 car show in Petrifying Springs Park. The event returns to the park Sunday.
Terry Flores
The Southern Wisconsin All Airborne Chapter of the 82nd Airborne Division Association held its car show at a new venue, Petrifying Springs Park in Somers on Sunday.
SOMERS – An organization that assists severely wounded soldiers honored military veterans who have served and those who have died for their country during a popular car show that was revived Sunday. It was in a new home after a yearlong hiatus.
The Southern Wisconsin All Airborne Chapter of the 82nd Airborne Division Association hosted its 18th event. The exhibition featured more than 450 cars from Model T’s to the newest Chevy Corvette and everything in between near the Biergarten in Petrifying Springs Park.
During a brief noontime ceremony, the chapter, along with hundreds of car enthusiasts and visitors joined in honoring men and women who have served their country in various branches of the United States military, as well as those who lost their lives. A Boy Scouts of America color guard presented the colors and a bugler played a rendition of “Taps”.
The event, which is also a fundraiser for the chapter’s “severely wounded warriors” program bestowed $2,000 each to help injured veterans Jordan Leitsch of Wautoma, and Jason Church of Milwaukee at the ceremony. The organization also gave Milwaukee-native Gary Wetzel, a retired U.S. Army soldier and Medal of Honor recipient $2,000 in relief funds, following the ceremony. Wetzel lost a limb in Vietnam while holding off the enemy so his men could be rescued. He was the Medal of Honor in 1968 by President Lyndon B. Johnson.
The proceeds from the car show entry fees benefit wounded veterans locally and around the nation. The event is not affiliated with other “wounded warrior” programs.
Leitsch, 32, had been a U.S. Marine Corps sergeant and combat instructor, when he developed popliteal artery entrapment syndrome while serving in Afghanistan. The rare disorder forced the amputation of his left leg.
He said he was grateful to the Southern Wisconsin All Airborne chapter and became emotional acknowledging their support and others who welcomed them at the car show. Dan Boring, the association’s liaison, had invited Leitsch, a car enthusiast himself, to the event and what he experienced “blew me away,” he said.
“Seeing everybody out here, the Patriot Riders (motorcycle group), and the escorts that we had out here, I mean, it’s … I was getting choked up in the truck on the way over here following them, because the veteran community is so big,” Leitsch said.
“And, there’s definitely more organizations nowadays, helping and improving those lives than what there was even 10 years ago…I’m blown away about this entire thing right now.”
Retired U.S. Army Capt. Jason Church, 32, of Milwaukee lost both of his legs below the knee in an IED explosion in August 2012 while on patrol in Kandahar province.
“We’re very thankful to have this opportunity here today. For me, it’s always humbling to come home, whether it’s in Wisconsin or any place where you see people celebrating. It makes me happy,” he said.
While he remembered the ordeal, grueling therapy, and re-learning how to walk and then run with prosthetics, he said he felt the warmth of other veterans and the community that has helped him and his family pull through in their time of need.
“It really shows, when we’re at our best, how awesome America can be,” Church said.
The car show, which had traditionally been held at Simmons Island, did not go on last year as many community events were shut down during the COVID-19 pandemic. Organizers had also searched for a new venue, the result of a permit dispute with the city two years ago.
Jack Gibbons, the chapter’s new chairman said he was pleased with the new site.
“It’s the first time we’ve been out here. We’ve got more room so we can host more cars,” he said. “And, it’s absolutely fantastic.”
Southern Wisconsin All Airborne Chapter of the 82nd Airborne Association car show 2021
Retired U.S. Army Capt. Jason Church, left, of Milwaukee and U.S. Marines Sgt. Jordan Leitsch of Wautoma, were each presented with a $2,000 check by Retired U.S. Army Lt. Col. Jack Gibbons on Sunday at the newly revived car show sponsored by the Southern Wisconsin All Airborne Chapter of the 82nd Airborne Division Association Inc. Gibbons is the event’s new chairman. The association donates all of its proceeds to its wounded veterans program.
Bob Mudge, left, and Rick Bogan, both of Racine, check out a classic car at the Southern Wisconsin All Airborne Chapter of the 82nd Airborne Division Association 2021 car show in Petrifying Springs Park. The event returns to the park Sunday.
The Southern Wisconsin All Airborne Chapter of the 82nd Airborne Division Association held its car show at a new venue, Petrifying Springs Park in Somers on Sunday.