Jackets’ Thursday game against Metro Christian set to benefit Warriors for Freedom Foundation

This week’s home football game will serve as “Freedom Football Night” in which military personnel are honored.

Kingfisher hosts Metro Christian Academy at 7 p.m. Thursday.

Thisisthefourthstraight year in which Kingfisher has hosted this special game, which is part of a program by the Warriors for Freedom Foundation, which was co-founded more than a decade ago by Brett Dick and Maj. Ed Pulido, a U.S. Army veteran.

Dick is the uncle of former KHS football player Caleb Dick and current KHS senior Natalie Dick.

The program allows military veterans to participate - at no cost - in recreational and social events hosted by the foundation.

That includes fishing, golfing, hunting, family outings and more.

“It’s a peer-to-peer support program and we want veterans of all ages to be involved,” Dick said.

Part of the foundation’s outreach is the Freedom Football Night.

All military personnel - whether active duty or veterans - will receive free admission to the game.

Kingfisher will wear special jerseys, which were purchased by Eli Davis, a 1999 KHS graduate who served a total of 14 years in the U.S. Army and Oklahoma National Guard, including eight years of active duty.That included four years with the 1st of 179th Infantry and Reconnaissance and Sniper Platoon and the rest with Bravo and Charlie Company 1st of 179th Infantry.

He was deployed three times: Iraq in 2003 and again in 2007-08 and Afghanistan in 2011-12.

Davis has spent several years volunteering with the program as a veteran advocate and said he committed to sponsor the Freedom Football Night at KHS for at least five years beginning with that 2019 season.

There will be a number of ways during which KHS will pay tribute to military personnel before, during and at halftime of the game.

Also, Warriors for Freedom Foundation items will also be for sale at a booth at the game.

The money raised will go to the foundation, which in turn goes to benefit the programs it has for veterans.

Donations will also be accepted and can be made by visiting www.warriorsforfreedom.org.