The Kind of Giving That Changes Lives

How Lonnie embodies the spirit of giving back.

Giving Tuesday is a reminder that generosity shows up in many forms. Financial gifts matter, of course, but the gifts that often leave the biggest mark are time, mentorship, and showing up again and again to help someone see what they’re capable of. That is the kind of giving Lonnie lives out every day.

Long before we began documenting Lonnie’s story, he was already teaching blind and disabled veterans to kayak, ski, climb, and return to the outdoors with confidence. Today, he volunteers with Move United, the Heroes New Hope Foundation, and the Blinded Veterans Association.

Through these organizations, he helps children, adults, and veterans with disabilities access adaptive sports, reconnect with the outdoors, and navigate the early days of blindness with support that truly changes lives. After all, Lonnie’s life had always been about service in one way or another.

Much of Lonnie’s giving happens through personal phone calls, guiding people facing a new disability through the fear of tackling tasks that once felt simple but now feel impossible. One veteran told him he’d never safely run a chainsaw again. Lonnie talked him through a different approach, and a week later the man had cut up the fallen tree in his yard. Shortly after, his wife handed him a long list of chores. Lonnie loves that story.

He has opened his home to people who are struggling, putting an axe or chainsaw in their hands and helping them rediscover their own capability. He supports families whose children have low vision and meets with teachers, counselors, and parents to help them advocate for what their child needs. He speaks on behalf of nonprofits that have raised millions of dollars, sharing his testimony everywhere from third grade classrooms to military bases, corporate offices, and stadiums.

After every talk, someone approaches him with their own story, seeing some piece of their struggle reflected in his. And Lonnie makes space for each of those stories.

Lonnie describes this experience this way:​

“I don't know that I make a difference in people's lives, which maybe it does, but I'm just so blessed to be around when they decide to make a difference in their own lives.”

This is why we’re sharing Lonnie’s story on Giving Tuesday. Helping him reach the North Pole and complete the Explorer’s Grand Slam isn’t about a title or a record. It’s about elevating the impact he already has, amplifying the way he lifts people up each day, and extending the ripple effect he creates through his commitment to inspiring others.

We’re a little over halfway to our goal of raising 80,000 to secure Lonnie’s North Pole expedition for spring 2026. Every donation brings us closer. Every share helps this story reach someone new.

If you’d like to support Lonnie and the work he does uplifting others every single day, you can give here: https://givebutter.com/YGJBKD

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Thank you for helping carry this story forward to those who need to hear it and for supporting Lonnie in this journey.

The Blueline Team

P.S. Every gift, no matter the size, helps Lonnie keep showing people what’s possible. That impact lasts far beyond this expedition. And if you're inspired by Lonnie's story, sharing it with your family and friends is one of the most meaningful ways to support his mission. Please DONATE to bring this expedition and this film to life.