Who is Ray Shackelford?
Ray is a decorated war hero, philanthropist and over all great guy that has indeed lived quite the adventurous life.
Ray has visited more than 140 countries and constantly travels from project to project helping people around the world.
Here are just a couple of bits about this amazing man…
Ray was inducted into the Fort Sill Artillery OCS Alumni Hall of Fame on May 12, 2017. There have only been 1,092 soldiers inducted in to the OCS Alumni Hall of Fame and Ray is 1 of only 81 persons awarded with this prestigious honor since 1968 who were not career military servicemen.
Interesting date because on May 12, 1967 Ray was shot while helping an M-60 machine gunner that had been shot, taking over the gun himself even as he has been shot in the leg as well; Ray then charged the enemy and wiped out the group of enemy fighters. Ray was then medevaced to the 249th General Hospital in Japan to recover. Ray was later awarded the Silver Star for that action.
By 1968 Ray was again sent back to Vietnam but this time as an Executive Officer of a field artillery battery. At one point a grenade that was thrown into Ray’s platoon; Ray was able to dive for the grenade and place it behind a log so he was the only one hurt saving many lives. The Commanding General of the 1st Cavalry came out and personally presented Ray with the Silver Star, his second one. After that incident Ray was again medevaced and sent to a hospital in New York to repair his inner ear which had been severely damage during the grenade blast.
During Ray’s time in Vietnam Jan 7, 1967 to April 2, 1971 Ray received 2 Silver Stars, a Bronze Star (with the V device) for Valor and 2 Oak-leaf Clusters, for a total of 3 of them and the Purple Heart with 2 Oak-leaf clusters which means 3 of them then a bunch of been there done that ribbons.
Thus ending an honorable military career and blossoming into a life of philanthropy.
Brigadier General (Ret.) Billy Cooper presenting to Ray along with Lt. Colonel James Anders
Why “Anyway” Foundation?
LOVE THEM ANYWAY
If you do good, people will accuse you of selfish, ulterior motives,
DO GOOD ANYWAY
If you are successful, you win false friends and true enemies,
SUCCEED ANYWAY
The good you do will be forgotten tomorrow,
DO GOOD ANYWAY
Honesty and frankness make you vulnerable,
BE HONEST AND FRANK ANYWAY
What you spent years building may be destroyed overnight,
BUILD ANYWAY
People really need help but may attack you if you help them,
HELP PEOPLE ANYWAY
Give the world the best you have and you may get kicked in the teeth,
GIVE THE WORLD THE BEST YOU’VE GOT ANYWAY.
From a sign on the wall of Shishu Bhavan,
Mother Theresa’s children’s home in Calcutta.
The inspiration for Ray’s “Anyway Foundation”.
Ray’s 1st Post – 2009
Greeting everyone! I have an update. The orphanage is looking even better. The maintenance man is doing a truly unbelievable job and mostly alone. The area around the pond is full of plants, vegetables, more fruit trees. All the land behind & beside the new building is all cut and a garden has been planted. They will have enough vegetables to feed all and some they can sell for a little extra money. Truly awesome.
There are 17 babies all looking healthy and happy. We are lucky to have the nannies we have and all the help from Pakawan. The school by the road in Chenneng now has a toilet, a septic tank and the concrete is in the school. They did some remodeling, taking apart of one of the rooms. One classroom is bigger and with the rest of the room they made a bedroom for volunteers. I bought a generator, electric lights and wire. So now the building with the sewing machines, the outside cooking area and the new room have lights some of the time. They will be able to have a TV and CD player and will be able to see movies that Pakawan and Mike are getting. They are short CDs that have topics such as sanitation, agriculture, family life, women rights, malaria, dengue. Different topics that are in short 5 to 10 minute segments that the people will have to watch when they watch the movies.
We will soon have a generator and the same items for the old village also. That will be amazing because most of those people have never even seen an electric light. We have a new building in the old village. The village chief and the village got together and asked us to start English classes for all in the village. So now we have first, second, third & fourth grades in Khmer, and 2 hours a day in English. The 2 teachers there are really good.
Since we have a western bath and shower in the orphanage and a western toilet and a private bathing area at the new village we are ready to start trying to get English speaking volunteers and also volunteers to help at the orphanage. Ideas and help are needed. if you have friends that would like to volunteer, let us know. If any of you have extra cash or brilliant ideas let us know, the projects do cost money. The children in the orphanage cost approximately 160 US dollars a month and there are now 17 of them. The schools are a lot less expensive about $3,000 for each of the 3 schools per year. I want to thank all of you that have helped in all the ways you have.
A special thanks goes to BOB, who went there in May with me to look before he made a very generous donation. Also, a special thanks to members of my class of 1957 from Forest Grove, Oregon who have been so very generous. Thanks Roger and Joan, and Shirley. Thanks to all the people in Texas that have helped. Carrie thanks for everything you have done. Everyone should know how much the employees at the Nehalem Bay Winery and the Depoe Bay Winery help by making me able to do all this and also how they sell the bags,purses,packs and wine bags that are made in the sewing project at the village. Some of you across our great country have helped also thanks to all of you. I’ll update you periodically. Check out the new webpage. https://www.anywayfoundation.org/
Bye for now,
Remember THE UNIVERSE LOVES US ALL
-Ray
Rays first post 2009
Greeting everyone! I have an update. The orphanage is looking even better. The maintenance man is doing a truly unbelievable job and mostly alone. The area around the pond is full of plants, vegetables, more fruit trees. All the land behind & beside the new building is all cut and a garden has been planted. They will have enough vegetables to feed all and some they can sell for a little extra money. Truly awesome.
There are 17 babies all looking healthy and happy. We are lucky to have the nannies we have and all the help from Pakawan. The school by the road in Chenneng now has a toilet, a septic tank and the concrete is in the school. They did some remodeling, taking apart of one of the rooms. One classroom is bigger and with the rest of the room they made a bedroom for volunteers. I bought a generator, electric lights and wire. So now the building with the sewing machines, the outside cooking area and the new room have lights some of the time. They will be able to have a TV and CD player and will be able to see movies that Pakawan and Mike are getting. They are short CDs that have topics such as sanitation, agriculture, family life, women rights, malaria, dengue. Different topics that are in short 5 to 10 minute segments that the people will have to watch when they watch the movies.
We will soon have a generator and the same items for the old village also. That will be amazing because most of those people have never even seen an electric light. We have a new building in the old village. The village chief and the village got together and asked us to start English classes for all in the village. So now we have first, second, third & fourth grades in Khmer, and 2 hours a day in English. The 2 teachers there are really good.
Since we have a western bath and shower in the orphanage and a western toilet and a private bathing area at the new village we are ready to start trying to get English speaking volunteers and also volunteers to help at the orphanage. Ideas and help are needed. if you have friends that would like to volunteer, let us know. If any of you have extra cash or brilliant ideas let us know, the projects do cost money. The children in the orphanage cost approximately 160 US dollars a month and there are now 17 of them. The schools are a lot less expensive about $3,000 for each of the 3 schools per year. I want to thank all of you that have helped in all the ways you have.
A special thanks goes to BOB, who went there in May with me to look before he made a very generous donation. Also, a special thanks to members of my class of 1957 from Forest Grove, Oregon who have been so very generous. Thanks Roger and Joan, and Shirley. Thanks to all the people in Texas that have helped. Carrie thanks for everything you have done. Everyone should know how much the employees at the Nehalem Bay Winery and the Depoe Bay Winery help by making me able to do all this and also how they sell the bags,purses,packs and wine bags that are made in the sewing project at the village. Some of you across our great country have helped also thanks to all of you. I’ll update you periodically. Check out the new webpage. https://www.anywayfoundation.org/
Bye for now,
Remember THE UNIVERSE LOVES US ALL
-Ray
Become a Sponsor or Donate
Today!