Sergeant Colton Levi Derr Foundation

10/14/2026

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SGT Colton Levi Derr Foundation

10/14/2026

RAPID CITY — The Sergeant Colton Levi Derr Foundation will welcome Bronze Star and Purple Heart recipient Benjamin Sledge as the featured speaker at its 13th Annual Gallantly Forward Gala

10/14/2026

The mission isn’t over. Neither is your story.

The Veterans Crisis Line is here 24/7:
📞 Dial 988, then press 1
📲 Text 838255
💻 VeteransCrisisLine.net

10/13/2026

Thank you to the Rapid City Journal for helping share the story of our upcoming Gallantly Forward Gala!

This Saturday, October 17, we come together for more than an evening of dinner and entertainment.

🇺🇸 Veterans and active-duty military attend FREE!

There’s still time to join us. Help us spread the word and fill the room!

🎟️ https://givebutter.com/c/gallantly-forward-gala-2026

Reach Out… Stay Strong.

The Gallantly Forward Gala raises awareness and support for servicemen and women and veterans who struggle with the invisible wounds of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder and Traumatic Brain Injury.

10/12/2026

🇺🇸 Thank you, Black Hills Gravel, LLC, for supporting the 2026 Gallantly Forward Gala as a Scouts Out Sponsor!

Located in Pringle, South Dakota, Black Hills Gravel supplies white limestone gravel and has provided crushed limestone road base for local road projects. Their business helps provide the materials our communities depend on—and their gala sponsorship helps support the veterans who call those communities home.

If you’re planning a project that needs gravel, consider contacting Black Hills Gravel to discuss available materials.

📍 26248 Lime Kiln Road • Pringle, SD
📞 605-863-5170

On behalf of all of us at the Sergeant Colton Levi Derr Foundation, thank you for standing with our veterans and families. Your generosity helps bring people together for an evening of hope, connection, and encouragement. ❤️🤍💙

📅 October 17, 2026
📍 The Monument • Rapid City
🎟️ Veterans and active-duty military attend FREE, made possible by community support. Reserve tickets at www.sergeantderrfoundation.org.

Reach Out… Stay Strong.

10/12/2026

🇺🇸 Thank you, Kirk Funeral Home & Cremation Services, for supporting the 2026 Gallantly Forward Gala as a Battle Buddy Sponsor!

Serving Rapid City and the Black Hills since 1998, Kirk Funeral Home & Cremation Services helps families honor their loved ones with dignity, compassion, and personal care. Their team provides funeral and memorial services, burial and cremation options, and pre-planning assistance, helping families create meaningful tributes that reflect each person’s life.

They also serve military families with veteran funeral care and assistance coordinating military honors—a meaningful way to recognize those who served our nation.

📞 605-343-4808
📍 1051 E. Minnesota Street • Rapid City
🌐 www.kirkfuneralhome.com

From all of us at the Sergeant Colton Levi Derr Foundation, thank you for supporting our veterans and families. Your generosity helps bring our community together to share hope, build connections, and remind those who are struggling that they do not have to face their battles alone. ❤️🤍💙

📅 October 17, 2026
📍 The Monument • Rapid City
🎟️ Veterans and active-duty military attend FREE, made possible by community support. Reserve tickets at www.sergeantderrfoundation.org.

Reach Out… Stay Strong.

10/11/2026

Matt made a $100 donation in honor of Dave Remick

Sometimes life puts people in our path when we least expect it, and I think Jerry was one of those people for me. We met entirely by chance, but I’m incredibly grateful we did. Listening to him share Colton’s story was something I didn’t realize I needed. There was something about the conversation, his kindness, and the way he spoke that brought me a genuine sense of comfort and peace. It’s hard to explain, but I walked away feeling a little lighter and with a renewed appreciation for the good in people. I’m grateful our paths crossed, and I won’t soon forget that conversation. Sometimes a chance encounter turns out to be anything but insignificant.

10/10/2026

🇺🇸 SOMEONE YOU KNOW NEEDS TO BE IN THIS ROOM ON OCTOBER 17. MAYBE THAT SOMEONE IS YOU.

Some of the toughest battles our veterans fight are the ones nobody sees.

Our son, Sgt. Colton Levi Derr, fought one of those battles. On April 28, 2012, we lost him to su***de following his struggle with PTSD. He was just 24 years old.

We cannot change Colton's story. But together, we may be able to change someone else's.

🇺🇸 VETERANS & ACTIVE-DUTY MILITARY ATTEND FREE!
Join us October 17 for the Gallantly Forward Gala and hear a powerful message from Benjamin Sledge, Iraq and Afghanistan combat veteran, Bronze Star and Purple Heart recipient, and author of Where Cowards Go to Die.

Benjamin understands the battles our warriors carry home. His message of survival, healing, and hope needs to be heard.

But this night is about more than a speaker. It's about brotherhood, sisterhood, camaraderie, and reconnecting with those who understand.

To the veteran who has withdrawn, who feels alone, or who thinks nobody would notice if they weren't there:

WE WANT YOU THERE. YOU MATTER. AND THERE IS A SEAT WAITING FOR YOU.

Come share a meal, hear a message of hope, reconnect with fellow warriors, and discover how you can join a mission that saves lives.

TO OUR COMMUNITY: Attend, sponsor a veteran's seat, or personally invite a veteran who needs to be there. Better yet, bring them with you.

📅 Saturday, October 17, 2026
📍 The Monument – Rapid City
🕔 Doors open at 5 PM
🎖️ Veterans & Active Duty: FREE
🎟️ General Admission: $40

👉 RESERVE YOUR SEAT OR SPONSOR A VETERAN:
https://givebutter.com/c/gallantly-forward-gala-2026

If a veteran came to mind while reading this, reach out to them TODAY. Your invitation could make all the difference.

🇺🇸 Colton's life ended far too soon. But his mission didn't.

Reach Out… Stay Strong.

SGT Colton Levi Derr Foundation

10/09/2026

🇺🇸 Thank you, Tyrrell Tires, for supporting the 2026 Gallantly Forward Gala as a Scouts Out Sponsor for veterans!

Family-owned and operated in Rapid City since 2012, Tyrrell Tires offers new tires, custom wheels, tire repairs, rotations, mounting, and balancing. Their full-service automotive shop also handles oil changes, brakes, air conditioning, batteries, electrical repairs, and exhaust systems—plus performance parts and lift-and-lower kits.

Whether you need routine maintenance, new tires, or a custom look for your vehicle, keep this community-minded business in mind!

📞 605-791-2922
📍 105 N. Cambell Street • Rapid City
🌐 www.tyrrelltires.com

On behalf of the Sergeant Colton Levi Derr Foundation, thank you for standing with our veterans and supporting an evening centered on hope, connection, and community. Your generosity helps us remind veterans and their families that they are valued and never alone.

📅 October 17, 2026
📍 The Monument • Rapid City
🎟️ Veterans and active-duty military attend FREE, made possible by community support. Reserve tickets at www.sergeantderrfoundation.org.

Reach Out… Stay Strong.

10/09/2026

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SGT Colton Levi Derr Foundation