The Moore family has a military service record that spans from the Vietnam era to the Korean conflict era, and now the next generation of Moores are working to honor that legacy through a nonprofit dedicated to supporting different causes affecting the daily lives of veterans. Moore for the Troops was an idea conceived 15 years ago and born this year by Billy Moore and sister Katie Arter, children of U.S. Marine Corps veteran Bill Moore. 

“My sister and I had a fantastic support system growing up,” explained Billy Moore. “Our parents supported everything we did one hundred-percent, whether it was sports or hobbies. At the time I never thought of it, but as I got older I started to realize that with my dad and grandfather serving, the sacrifice that it takes to serve in the military.

“I often get the question ‘Did you serve?’ It doesn’t bother me because my parents never pushed me to serve, but Moore for the Troops gives me the opportunity to serve in a different way. It gives me the sense of satisfaction to hep people that need it, support veterans that need to be supported, and be as impactful as possible.”

Moore for the Troops set its mission to bring community together through annual events and fundraisers to support the men and women who served in the military. One-hundred percent of donations made to the 501c3 nonprofit go toward a veteran-related cause—a feat not many big-name charities can match. 

Katie Arter explained, “I think it’s important to say what sets us apart since there are so many veteran organizations, and this is it for us. Every dollar donated goes toward a cause.”

The first cause Moore for the Troops has set its fundraising to is service-related hearing loss. Bill Moore suffers with tinnitus, a constant ringing sensation in his ears that requires the use of hearing aids. 

“When I got out of the Marine Corps in 1975, I was told by the Veterans Administration (VA) that I didn’t qualify for support because my wife and I made too much money. Things finally changed during and after the Obama administration when the government started to acknowledge the veteran crisis,” explained Bill. 

Bill is a patient of Audiology Department and the Corporal Michael J. Crescenz VA Medical Center in Philadelphia, so the first fundraising event will donate 100-percent of proceeds to this department. 

“I’ve been fortunate enough o get care and hearing aids from the VA, in hopes that other veterans can get the help they need,” said Bill. 

Katie said, “In talking about the event, it’s giving people the opportunity to connect. We learned that the neighbor across the street who also served in the military struggles with tinnitus, too, and we never knew that about him before.”

The event called the Listen Up! 5K will be held on April 14 at the Octorara High School track in Atglen, Pa. Participants can run or walk the 5K, or complete a one- mile fun run/walk. Vendors will be on-site, as well as a photographer and a DJ to bring the event to life. Bill and his wife, Joanne, both worked for the Octorara School District after retiring, so the site is special for them. Bill was a monitor for children during in-school suspension, while Joanne was a secretary for the high school. 

“I had two principals—the school’s and my mom,” said Billy with a laugh. 

Octorara School District waived the rental fees for the event in support of the cause.

The Moore family has dived head-first into this new mission, with Bill even showing his devotion with “Moore for the Troops” tattooed proudly on his arm. 

Bill and Joanne beam with pride for their kids’ dedication to the mission. 

“I had this idea and I took it to Katie, and if you know her, you know that if she likes something she puts gasoline on it and gets it started,” Billy said. “Her involvement in the community and her motivation. We owe her a lot of credit. My parents have worked hard to get us sponsorships, we made it a family thing.”

To sign up for the 5K, or to learn more about the upcoming events with Moore for the Troops, visit their website at https://mooreforthetroops.com/. They can also be found on social media under Moore for the Troops.