By Martin Shwenk Leade

Copyright indiatimes

Rebecca Dunn recalled telling Kirk that if he raised the first $25,000, then they would match it

Rebecca Dunn, who once planned for right-wing political conservative activist Charlie Kirk to speak at her late husband’s memorial, found herself delivering remarks at Kirk’s own service.”In the early days, Charlie felt like a son to me,” Dunn said. “More recently, I was the one looking up to him.” Charlie Kirk’s conservative non-profit Turning Point USA today has grown into an organization with tens of millions of dollars in assets and annual revenue. It started with a $50,000 seed investment. Conservative philanthropist Rebecca Dunn reflected on how she and her late husband, Bill Dunn, first met the activist nearly 12 years ago.ALSO READ: Rebecca Dunn, Turning Point USA donor, has a staggering net worth of $100 million? What we need to knowWhen Rebecca Dunn and her husband met Charlie Kirk, he was trying to get Turning Point USA off the ground, she said during a memorial honoring Kirk in Arizona on Sunday. Tens of thousands of people gathered at State Farm Stadium in Glendale on Sunday to pay their respects to the conservative activist who was shot and killed during a campus event at Utah Valley University earlier this month. What Rebecca Dunn said about Charlie Kirk?Rebecca Dunn, who, together with her late husband Bill Dunn, were early donors to Turning Point USA, said “Charlie felt like a son to me.” Bill Dunn was a trader, while Rebecca has largely been involved with conservative think tanks and philanthropy projects. Live Events”I was so impressed that I invited him to come to our home and tell my husband and me more about his organization,” Dunn said. “That young man, of course, was Charlie Kirk and his organization was Turning Point USA. Charlie told us how he wanted to start two chapters in North Florida. When asked how much money it would take, he told us he thought it would take about $50,000,” Dunn recalled.ALSO READ: ‘Pray for Tom Holland’: Actor rushed to hospital after dangerous Spider-Man stunt mishap leaves him with ‘concussion’ Rebecca Dunn recalled telling Kirk that if he raised the first $25,000, then they would match it. “Two days later. Charlie called to say that he had raised the money he would. He was not in his hometown. He was not even in his home state. He was 20 years old. And yet he met our challenge. I laughed and I told him, I said, ‘well, Charlie, I guess we owe you a check’,” Dunn told the crowd. Dunn and her husband continued providing Kirk with grants, each larger than the last, eventually reaching into the millions, she said. Charlie Kirk planned to start the organisation when he was just 18 years old. Instead of pursuing a degree, Charlie Kirk dropped out of community college to co-found the organization alongside Tea Party activist Bill Montgomery, and in short order, convinced an onslaught of wealthy individuals and foundations to back him and his mission.ALSO READ: Matthew James Ruth accused of setting ex-girlfriend’s truck on fire and killing her dog? Chilling twist in Pennsylvania shootingThe Bradley Impact Fund, which donated over $8 million in 2023, and the Dunn Foundation were among his largest financial supporters, joined by the Deason Foundation and the Marcus Foundation, the latter linked to billionaire Home Depot co-founder Bernie Marcus.According to its website, his now multi-million-dollar political network has long pursued a mission to “promote the principles of freedom, free markets, and limited government.” Kirk launched the organization with the goal of gaining a presence on every high school and college campus across the country to advance his political agenda.The Dunn Foundation was founded by author, motivational speaker and entrepreneur William Dunn. It’s aim was to support groups that advance political and economic liberty through education and persuasion, the group has given to a range of conservative and libertarian groups. The Dunn Foundation donated over $1 million to TPUSA in 2023.ALSO READ: Buffalo Bills vs Miami Dolphins turns ugly as Amazon highlights Tyreek Hill’s shocking allegations. What we knowWhat happened at Charlie Kirk’s memorial?Despite Charlie Kirk’s untimely passing, Kirk’s wife, Erika, declared that the organization would continue pursuing its mission as she was tapped as CEO. President Donald Trump hailed the conservative activist Charlie Kirk as a “great American hero” and “martyr” during a speech to tens of thousands of mourners at a memorial service in Arizona.Kirk’s wife, Erika, delivered a tearful speech at the State Farm Stadium near Phoenix, in which she said she had forgiven her husband’s alleged killer. “He’s a martyr now for America’s freedom,” he said, adding, “I know I speak for everyone here today when I say that none of us will ever forget Charlie. And neither now will history.” Moreover, during her address, Erika said that she forgave Kirk’s shooter. “My husband, Charlie, he wanted to save young men, just like the one who took his life,” she said, adding, “I forgive him.”Add as a Reliable and Trusted News Source Add Now!
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