A local radio station held a free car wash for veterans in Norman amid a nationwide debate over NFL players kneeling during the national anthem.The online rock station owner said several people attended Saturday's car wash, as the event was busy for the full three hours."We met some great people, heard some wonderful stories from the veterans and their spouses," Blake Wolney, owner of Bladerunner Radio, said in an email.Wolney said the idea of this kind of car wash sparked when people at the radio station wanted to replicate another social media trend to help people in need."We started off with the idea of doing an ALS Ice Bucket Challenge, and we thought we'll take a bunch of NFL gear and destroy it and start it on fire and burn and donate money to veterans, like they do with ALS," Wolney said Friday. "And then we thought, you know, there's so much negativity and animosity the way it is."The radio station used the NFL jerseys and merchandise to wash the cars instead of burning them."It's not so much a political statement as it is just an opportunity to exercise our rights and show our American veterans some respect," Wolney said.

A local radio station held a free car wash for veterans in Norman amid a nationwide debate over NFL players kneeling during the national anthem.

The online rock station owner said several people attended Saturday's car wash, as the event was busy for the full three hours.


"We met some great people, heard some wonderful stories from the veterans and their spouses," Blake Wolney, owner of Bladerunner Radio, said in an email.

Wolney said the idea of this kind of car wash sparked when people at the radio station wanted to replicate another social media trend to help people in need.

"We started off with the idea of doing an ALS Ice Bucket Challenge, and we thought we'll take a bunch of NFL gear and destroy it and start it on fire and burn and donate money to veterans, like they do with ALS," Wolney said Friday. "And then we thought, you know, there's so much negativity and animosity the way it is."

The radio station used the NFL jerseys and merchandise to wash the cars instead of burning them.

"It's not so much a political statement as it is just an opportunity to exercise our rights and show our American veterans some respect," Wolney said.