FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Sparklight Awards $2,500 Charitable Giving Fund Grant to Charlie 22 Outdoors
WEBB CITY, Mo. (July 9, 2025) – Female veterans struggling with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) will benefit from a $2,500 grant awarded to Charlie 22 Outdoors by Sparklight® through its Charitable Giving Fund. The funding supports the nonprofit’s mission to help veterans heal from service-related stress and trauma.
This spring, Sparklight awarded more than $125,000 in grants to 27 nonprofit organizations across the cities and towns it serves. From children’s advocacy programs and mental health services to hunger relief and vital skills training, the funding will help advance essential services that uplift lives and strengthen communities.
“Sparklight is proud to support organizations like Charlie 22 Outdoors that help improve the lives of those who are often overlooked and underserved,” said Mike Drahota, Sparklight Senior Regional Director, North Central. “Their efforts answer a critical gap in our community, and we’re honored to help amplify their valuable work through our Charitable Giving Fund.”
Charlie 22 Outdoors used the grant to fund Reel Healing: Fishing for Women Veterans with PTSD, a therapeutic retreat offering participants a safe, supportive environment to build skills and emotional strength through outdoor experiences.
“Sparklight’s Charitable Giving Fund support is helping us bring healing and hope to women veterans who have sacrificed so much for our country,” said Scott Hettinger, Charlie 22 Outdoors Executive Director. “This is humbling and motivating at the same time. Through our retreat, these brave women find connection, encouragement and a renewed sense of purpose and accomplishment – all made possible by Sparklight’s generous grant.”
The company’s Charitable Giving Fund focuses on initiatives that create lasting, local impact, including education and digital literacy, hunger relief and community development. Since the Fund’s inception in 2020, Sparklight has awarded more than $1 million in grants to more than 250 nonprofits that make a difference in the lives of those they serve.
Nonprofit organizations may apply for a grant during open application periods each spring and fall. Applications for the fall 2025 cycle will be accepted October 1–31, 2025.
For more information about the Sparklight Charitable Giving Fund, please visit www.sparklight.com/charitablegiving.
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About Sparklight
Sparklight is a leading broadband communications provider delivering exceptional service and enabling more than 1 million residential and business customers across 24 states to thrive and stay connected to what matters most. Through Sparklight®, the brand our customers know and trust, we’re not just shaping the future of connectivity – we’re transforming it with a commitment to innovation, reliability and customer experience at our core.
Our robust infrastructure and cutting-edge technology don’t just keep our customers connected; they help drive progress in education, business and everyday life. We’re dedicated to bridging the digital divide, empowering our communities and fostering a more connected world. When our customers choose Sparklight, they are choosing a team that is always working for them — one that believes in the relentless pursuit of reliability, because being a trusted neighbor isn’t just what we do — it’s who we are.
CONTACT:
Jamie O’Driscoll
Communications Manager