A Colorado Springs veteran group turned a summer Saturday into a fundraiser for one of the military community's most urgent challenges. Members of Disgruntled Vets organized the car wash on Aug. 22, with all money raised going to 22 Until None, a nonprofit whose central mission is curbing suicide among veterans.
Beyond the financial goal, organizers wanted the day to serve a social purpose as well. Bringing former service members into the same space — focused on shared experience and mutual support — was a deliberate part of the event's design. That emphasis on community mirrors the broader work of 22 Until None. The nonprofit delivers hands-on help, resources, and structured programs to veterans who need support.
Every dollar collected at the car wash feeds directly into those efforts, in part because of how the organization is structured. 22 Until None relies exclusively on volunteer labor — no one on staff draws a salary — and program director Christopher Ruble oversees that model. Ruble explained the reasoning behind it. "Every dollar we make out here today goes to helping veterans," he said, noting that the entire organization runs without paid positions: "Nobody makes a paycheck. That way we can give everything back to our community."
A final tally of funds raised at Saturday's event had not been released at the time of reporting. Veterans or others who are struggling can reach the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline at any time by dialing or texting 988, which connects callers to around-the-clock, confidential assistance.
Whether Disgruntled Vets and 22 Until None plan additional fundraising events, or when final proceeds from the car wash will be announced, has not yet been confirmed.