Normally, we only have one winner in each of our contests, but this one was so special that we couldn't help but choose five winners. All of these incredible people deserve not only free handmade knives, but also our gratitude and all of our love. That is why we wanted to share their stories on our blog so that you may also learn about them and honor them. So, without further ado, meet the veterans and service members who won in our Veterans Day contest. 

Jacob Russell 

Here's what Jacob said in the comments section of our Facebook post: “My fiancé and I both are currently serving. All together we have 19 years of service taking us to all kinds of different places! She is a high school science teacher as well and has became an amazing mentor to the children that come through her room! We both love to take turns cooking for each other so this would a great gift to both of us! Thank you for supporting the veteran community!”

Crystal Renee

Crystal is a strong woman who stands by her husband and son: “My husband is a 100% disabled army veteran, and my son is in the reserves. My husband was in Korea for many years, while I held everything down at home, I missed him very much. He sacrificed his body, and mental wellbeing for this country. I am so glad many companies recognize what they do to protect the United States, and other countries. I am incredibly proud of my son for joining as well. They could use a good knife or any of the vets that post🙂 Thank you for what you do for them.”

ChefTodd Brown

An army veteran with a passion for cooking: “Army veteran, Chemical corp. Served at too many bases to list. Now I run a Food Truck, cooking is my passion. My wife and I often feed Veterans for free to let them know we care and support them.”

cheri_larimer

We admire Cheri's husband's many years of service: “My husband, @dennislarimer1949, served six years in the Navy from 1967-1973. He was on the USS Von Steuben SSBN 632 (part of the 41 for Freedom submarines) during the Vietnam War. Thank you to all that served!”

Shane Taylor

A family that has served this country for generations: “First of all, I would like to thank you for honoring veterans and hope you continue to do so. I would also like to thank all veterans for their service. I personally like to thank my grandpa who served during WW2, my dad who served during Vietnam and retired from the Army, and my brother who served during Desert Storm. He ETSed but later re-enlisted and is still serving today. I joined the Army and was in the Signal Corp. I served for 4 years and don't regret one day of it. It was an honor and great time of my life. Again thanks to all veterans and God bless you all.”

These are the people who have won Coolina knives and we hope they will enjoy using them as much as we enjoyed sharing their stories. It’s an absolute honor for us to be able to contribute in any way. Salute to all who have made immense sacrifices for the country. Your patriotism is an inspiration to us all. Thank you so much for your selfless service. 

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