The Honor Group Educational Activities

In 2012, we launched another educational division of our nonprofit called, Honor Tours. These events are held at a large high school and small school assemblies. We take to the school audio/visual multimedia displays that immediately capture the hearts of those in attendance. We educate the students about what a hero really looks like. We bring in military heroes, celebrity, WWII, Vietnam, Iraq/Afghanistan veterans. These heroes are welcomed home and honored; a few speak to the students and students leave forever educated and changed.

Honor Tours is a true testament that involves the school directly in all aspects of the event. We organize meetings with student government, media and administration to make this event a hands-on educational experience. The goal is to promote patriotism that involves the entire school. Media is produced to promote the Honor Tours that will be held at a school assembly. Local VFW and other military organizations are contacted to put the word out that a #Sacrifice Tour is planned and everyone is invited to participate.

HonorRadio will provide listeners with people that The Honor Group have been associated with for years. This includes top High School Coaches and ADs, Military Officers, veterans and so many friends of The Honor Group.

It is about time for us to share our history of great games, events that motivate us to continue to plan and deploy The Honor Bowl and many other events that The Honor Group is involved in.

The Honor Group has gifted 10 highly trained service dogs to veterans who benefit from securing a dog to help with the constant effects of PTS and TBI.  It is the goal to gift a service dog at as many upcoming Honor Bowl games in 2018. The cost per dog ranges from $5,000 – $25,000 depending on the amount of training a person receives and lifetime care of the animal. The Honor Group has forged strong relationships with various organizations that are focused on acquire, train and gift dogs to needy veterans. The Honor Group is a proud supporter of these groups and to assist in any way to a better life to someone who has sacrificed so much.

The Honor Group continues to organize single game events with schools that cannot attend the larger Honor Bowl but want to have a game at their school to honor both veterans and first responders. Typically The Honor Group coordinates with local recruiting stations, Fire, Police, Coast Guard, sheriff and veteran organizations to be part of the HomeTown event.

Gold Star parents are recognized by the crowd and gladly volunteer to be part of the patriotic festivities. Schools are engaged as well with cheerleaders from each team lend their hands to bring in a 100’ US flag before the National Anthem.

 The Honor Group continue to fulfill its mission to educate through events such as HomeTown Honor Bowls. The importance to many Gold Star parents is to never have their child forgotten. Pregame activities such as the emotional building of a Battle Cross or the folding of a flag that was draped over the casket of someone that was KIA are rarely seen publically.

Fans have witnessed the delivery of the game ball brought in by a Sheriff rappelling from a helicopter, US Navy F-18 flyovers and more. This is a true community event where both teams have the opportunity to play for more than just a win. They play to honor those men and women who daily risk their lives for our freedom and protection home and abroad.

During the Southern California Honor Bowl, participating schools have the rare opportunity to have a behind the scenes visit inside the gates of Camp Pendleton. The Honor Group has a strong relationship with Command of the 5^th and works closely to provide a time to listen to commanders, wounded veterans and gold star parents.

Camp Pendleton Experience has become a highlight for schools who come to The Honor Bowl. It isn’t every day that students have a up front and intimate chance to listen to warriors talk about what they do on a daily basis to protect our freedoms. The Marines are The Few, The Proud and The Honor Group salute these brave men and women who find the value to support us in many of our activities.

Since 2010 The Honor Group has been the core organizer to place Yellow and Blue ribbons along a three-mile 4 lane well-traveled road in Granite Bay. A county permit is secured to hang ribbons on the many trees on Douglas Boulevard. Quarry Pond, a Granite Bay staple of unique restaurants and specialty shops receives special ribbons that have the names of those who have given the ultimate sacrifice.
Patty Schumacher, the CEO of The Honor Group is a Gold Star parent and has the daily passion to never forget her son Victor Dew who was KIA on Oct 13, 2010. Dew was a graduate of Granite Bay High School and Mark Soto eulogized Victor. Coincidentally Marks’ son Joshua witnessed the blast that killed four of his Marine brothers. The event is publicized through social media and a platoon of volunteers cheerily assemble on a Saturday in November at 5 am. January all ribbons are taken down per the permit agreement.

This is a prime example of fulfilling the mission of The Honor Group through education and reflection about those men and women who volunteer to serve and protect our freedoms and to give us the opportunity to assemble and demonstrate our passion to say thank you.

The Honor Group has developed a great partnership and friendship with Head Coach Jim Les. Les reached out to The Honor Group after attending an Honor Bowl where his daughter was involved w a national cheer group. He was so moved by what he witnessed at the showcase that he wanted to see if there would be interest to talk with his basketball team as they began their season. The Honor Group was engaged and organized a series of motivational talks to the team in their locker room. The Honor Group also organized, along with local Marines and US Army a basketball pregame and half time patriotic events.

The following year The Honor Group coordinated to bring in two wounded Marines to talk with the team about brotherhood and sacrifice. Cpl (ret.) Joshua Soto, L CPL (ret) Marcus “Chilly” Chischilly and Sgt (ret.) Charlie Linville had amazing stories to tell the team. Chilly was gravely wounded in 2010 suffering shrapnel over his body and losing a leg. Chilly has since retired from the Marines and works closely with The Honor Group to assist in the education of students and community. Linville is the first veteran amputee to climb Everest not once but three times. 2014 and 2015 climbs were postponed due to a devastating earthquake and weather. 2016 was a success. The Honor Group assisted in the costs to provide travel to those Marines who had the team mesmerized with their message.

At the height of the Afghanistan and Iraq wars, many people were gravely injured due to the use of IEDs. The blasts caused the need to amputate limbs or traumatic brain injuries. The Honor Group through generous donations gifted seven ActionTrack Chairs which provided the ability to experience self-mobility on terrain ranging from sand, snow mud and dirt for those who believed they would never experience these simple activities in daily life.

The Honor Group is proud to have had the ability to provide a life changing device for those who were directly affected during their deployments. The Honor Group continues to provide transportation and lodge funding to many Marines who volunteer at our events.

Each ActionTrack Chair cost ~ $15,000 and we are happy to state that the demand for these highly specialized and expensive devices has diminished due to the current war situation.

The Honor Group had had a three-year relationship with New Life Church in Fair Oaks where we coordinate a veteran celebration for a weekend service to honor veterans. The agenda has included emotional keynotes from Gold Star parents, high ranking military commanders, flag folding ceremony, a 21-gun salute and taps. The Congregation experiences a better understanding of the sacrifice that many provide for our freedom.

SportStar Magazine is passionate about youth sports. So is The Honor Group. We are proud to align our nonprofit with a publishing group who promotes the importance of commitment, sportsmanship and school spirit.

Here is a recent article by Jim McCue revisiting The Honor Group after 10 years when he wrote about The Honor Bowl in 2012!
https://sportstarsmag.com/2022/09/made-of-honor-origins-evolution-of-honor-bowl 

Straight from the SportStar Magazine Team:

‘We’re always interested in doing good work with good people, so it’s exciting getting to collaborate with the sports industry to bring meaningful products and service solutions together for those in our communities. Plus we get to honor, encourage and inspire our athletes.

Pretty cool!’