Veterans charity sues similarly named group

[unhappycamper]

Veterans charity sues similarly named group
By Timberly Ross - The Associated Press
Posted : Monday Oct 22, 2007 18:59:40 EDT

OMAHA, Neb. — A charity that provides free vacations to injured veterans and their families has been sued by another philanthropic group with a similar name.

The lawsuit filed last month in U.S. District Court in Nebraska by Jacksonville, Fla.-based Wounded Warrior Project Inc. said Wounded Warriors Inc. has “capitalized on the confusion” created by their similar names.

Wounded Warrior Project, which also goes by WWP Inc., registered trademarks on its name and logo in September 2005, which prevents their use by other groups.

Wounded Warriors founder John Folsom, a colonel in the Marine Corps Reserve, said on Monday that while he never sought the rights to the Wounded Warriors name, his Omaha-based organization has been around longer than WWP. He said he doesn’t mind that the two groups have similar monikers if they both promote a good cause.

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Folsom said Monday that WWP has a great mission but that he wasn’t interested in joining forces because he worried Wounded Warriors’ goal of offering vacations would be diluted by the larger organization.

WWP took in more than $10 million in donations in its fiscal year 2005, which ended July 31, 2006, according to tax statements. Filings by Wounded Warriors showed that it took in about $400,000 in donations in 2006.


Rest of this pissing contest at: http://www.navytimes.com/news/2007/10/ap_charitylawsuit_071022/