Impact Story: One Marine. One Life. One Mission to Lift a Community.

Where Your Support Creates Real Change

Down For A Ride: Awareness Fueled by Love

Down Syndrome touches countless families—including ours. A young boy named Rhett inspired a movement that began with a simple meeting and grew into a powerful idea: a motorcycle ride dedicated to raising awareness and celebrating the Down Syndrome community. When Stan Wiebler turned his computer screen to show a photo of his niece Quinn, everything clicked. Compassion became action. Down For A Ride was born.
Your donation helps this ride grow, bringing visibility, support, and unity to families who deserve to be seen and celebrated.

Bikers for Backpacks: Riders Helping Families

What started in 2014 as a small group of bikers asking, “How can we help?” has now provided tens of thousands of school supplies to children across multiple school districts. In 2026, with the support of 1 Marine 1 Life, the program is expanding again—this time into Kewanee and Bureau County.

Your donation puts backpacks, pencils, notebooks, and hope directly into the hands of children who need them.

Jacob’s Stone: Honoring Children With Dignity

When a child passes, families face unimaginable grief—and often overwhelming financial burden. Inspired by the biblical story of Jacob’s memorial stone, this program ensures that every child, regardless of a family’s financial situation, receives a beautiful marker to honor their life.

Your donation provides comfort, dignity, and a lasting memorial for families navigating the darkest moments of their lives.

The Kelly Marie McQuate Memorial Scholarship

Kelly’s life was defined by determination, education, and love for her children. After she was tragically killed by a drunk driver, her family and community created a scholarship to honor her legacy. Today, the Kelly Marie McQuate Memorial Scholarship provides a $1,000 annual award to a Quad Cities high school senior who has lost a parent.

It takes a $25,000 endowment to fund one scholarship every year. Every dollar you give builds that endowment—and builds a future for a child who has already lost so much.

Haircuts 4 Kids: A Simple Act, A Big Smile

Sometimes, all it takes to brighten a child’s day is a haircut. Through local stylists and Head Start programs, Haircuts 4 Kids provides free haircuts to families who need a little help. It’s simple, it’s personal, and it’s powerful.

Your donation helps us expand this program to more schools, more stylists, and more children.

Why Your Donation Matters

1 Marine 1 Life exists for one reason: to inspire one person at a time to serve the community, one project at a time. But inspiration alone isn’t enough. These programs grow only when people like you choose to invest in them.