The clock is ticking for the Warrior Bonfire Project to sell 300 specialty Mississippi license plate displaying the group’s logo.

To help reach their goal, wrestling great The Million Dollar Man and his son have offered their help to the nonprofit organization that brings combat veterans together with a mission of offering recovery and healing with a focus on creating activity based, stress-free environments that promote camaraderie and therapeutic healing.

“We are about half way there,” said Patty Mekus, president of the Southern Heritage Air Foundation. “We are doing a big push on social media next week and the Million Dollar Man, Ted DiBiase Sr., and his son Ted DiBiase Jr. have offered to put everyone’s name that pre-purchases a car tag into a drawing to receive an autographed belt as incentive.”

“They both are a big part of supporting our foundation, and Ted DiBiase Sr. is donating a portion of it out of Heart of David Ministry,” she said.

“It’s $31 for the car tag and we turn everything in to the Mississippi Department of Revenue May 15, so we have to have 300 sold by May 13,” Mekus said. “If we have 300, they will go into production in July and then our organization will notify each purchaser when their tag has arrived.”

For every tag purchased, $24 will go directly to the Warrior Bonfire Project, Mekus said.

Vicksburg native Dan Fordice founded the Warrior Bonfire Project in 2012 after deciding he wanted to make a difference for veterans who had suffered from injuries both physically and mentally.

Fordice, who is a veteran himself, wanted to bring Purple Heart recipients together in a small group setting.

His idea was prompted after he had a conversation with a friend who had suffered a traumatic brain injury while serving in the military.

The Warrior Bonfire Project website states that retired Sgt. 1st Class Charles Gregory Williams commented to Fordice that he could spend a full day with a counselor and not come close to the therapeutic value of sitting around a bonfire with five or six guys.

In response, Fordice said he would provide the bonfire.

The Warrior Bonfire Project’s mission is to offer trips or events planned for the veterans with all expenses paid.

Since its inception, combat-wounded veterans have had the opportunity to participate in hunting trips, ski trips, professional athletic events, fishing trips and museum tours.

Many of the trips offered to the veterans are donated by individuals who either pay for the expenses or donate their properties, said Helen Phillips, the director of special projects for the Warrior Bonfire Project.

“The Warrior Bonfire Project is a customer service organization,” she said. “We listen to what the veterans want to do.”

“The Warrior Bonfire Project license plate was designed at no cost by Hunt Marketing of Oxford, Mississippi,” Phillips said.

For more information on the purchase of the Warrior Bonfire Project car tag or the nonprofit organization, call 318-574-2731 or visit www.warriorbonfireproject.org.