ROCHESTER, Minn. — As we pause on the July Fourth holiday to celebrate the independence of America, an entrepreneur in Minnesota said it's important to ask ourselves how we can give back to the brave men and women who help protect our country every day.
Oliver Dilger first became inspired while on a trip with his family.
"When I walked the beaches of Normandy, Omaha Beach, I developed a deeper sense of patriotism, gratitude, empathy. When I got back from my trip to Normandy, I knew that I wanted to support the military in some way or another," Dilger told KTTC.
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For him, the answer came in the idea of adding a zipper to an item of clothing you might not expect. Combine a zipper to a pair of underwear and suddenly the hassle of figuring out where to store the most important personal things vanishes.
"What our country is all about, you know, is kinda moving that milestone to the next level," said Dilger. "I never imagined in a million years that selling patriotic underwear would be my means of doing so."
Dilger and his friend Michael decided to show that support in the form of Underzips.
"There's a discrete zipper pocket here, as well as on this side, and it can store items as small as car keys," said Dilger.
For Dilger and Michael, it's all about giving back to those who have sacrificed for their country.
"Michael and I are fortunate to attend two fantastic institutions in Boston (Massachusetts). Ourselves, we wanted to provide military families, military children, spouses with that same opportunity,"said Dilger. "Typically we donate a dollar for every pair sold that benefits the Folds of Honor."
The Folds of Honor is an organization that provides educational scholarships to military families.
Dilger is planning to create more designs in the coming months and said everything is for sale on Underzips.com.