On June 29 and 30, DZone Skydiving is hosting the Feel the Freedom event at Laurel Municipal Airport in Laurel, Montana, a two-day skydiving fundraiser that sends at least $50 from every jump directly to the Adaptative Performance Center (APC), a Billings nonprofit built specifically for veterans and active duty service members. Montana Registration Services is proud to be a sponsor on the ground both days, providing food and support alongside the DZone team. If you want to jump, cheer, or simply show up for a cause worth driving to, here's everything you need to know.
Why This Event Matters: The Nonprofit Behind Every Jump
The Adaptative Performance Center is not your average gym. Karen and Mitch founded APC in Billings after years of working with veterans at a standard fitness facility, where they kept running into the same wall: conventional gyms were not built for people carrying combat trauma. Loud music, weights dropped on hard floors, crowded spaces, none of it was designed with a combat veteran's nervous system in mind.
The moment that pushed them to build something different happened when Mitch was working with a veteran who panicked after a weight dropped nearby. The sound triggered a full PTSD response. Around that same time, Karen and Mitch were volunteering with a Montana National Guard unit that had lost six members to suicide over four years, according to APC. That number stayed with them.
So they built APC from the ground up with rubber weights, quieter floors, and a culture built around safety instead of performance pressure. Today, APC runs a complete facility in Billings that combines fitness with community support, VA connection assistance, and peer accountability. Members get access to trained staff and wellness resources in a space where they don't have to explain themselves.
Two phrases come up again and again in APC's own member testimonials: "I felt like I was home," and "You don't know it, but you saved my life." One member, Trevor Hester, has spoken openly about his own journey, including a chapter involving addiction and a point where he didn't expect to come back from. He found APC, rebuilt his footing, and has since helped other veterans through their own hard moments, simply by showing up and talking.
If you or someone you know is struggling right now, the Veteran Crisis Line is available by calling 988 and pressing 1.
This is the cause your jump supports. Every tandem skydive, every video add-on, every person who drives out to Laurel Municipal Airport on June 29 or 30 puts real money toward keeping APC's doors open for the people who need it most.
What to Expect at the Feel the Freedom Event in Laurel
The event runs both days at Laurel Municipal Airport, located at 3900 Fox Road in Laurel, MT. It's open to the public, and you don't need any jumping experience to take part. DZone's team of experienced instructors handles everything from your safety briefing through your landing, so first-timers are absolutely welcome.
Here's a quick look at how the jump packages break down:
| Option | Price | What's Included |
|---|---|---|
| Tandem Skydive | $338 | Jump strapped to an experienced instructor, free fall from altitude, canopy glide to landing |
| Video and Stills Add-On | $138 | Full jump captured on camera, photos and video to keep |
| APC Donation per Jump | $50 minimum | Goes directly to APC veteran programs with every booking |
A few things to know before you sign up. You must be 18 or older to jump. There's a 230-pound weight limit. You should be in good general health, and if you have any medical concerns, check with your doctor before booking. Once you land, stick around. The event includes food on the ground, and it's a genuine chance to meet the people behind APC's mission and hear their stories firsthand.
Spots are limited across both days, so don't wait until the last minute to book. The bigger the turnout, the bigger the impact for APC.
Why Montana Registration Services Is Sponsoring This Event
Montana Registration Services is a Montana-based private registration assistance company. We work with dealerships, fleet operators, and vehicle owners across the country, helping them work through the paperwork involved in Montana vehicle registration online and Montana LLC formation for vehicle registration. Our team processes titles and registrations every day, and we've built our reputation on doing that work with precision.
But being a Montana-based company means more than processing paperwork efficiently. It means being part of the communities that make this state what it is. Veterans are a significant part of that. Montana has one of the highest per-capita military service rates in the country, and the people who make up APC's membership are the same people who make Montana's character what it is: durable, community-oriented, and honest about what it takes to get through hard things.
Same-day registrations, Montana LLC formation, and title submissions in as little as 8 days — handled entirely by our team, fully remote.
Get a Free QuoteFor the Feel the Freedom event, MRS is providing food and ground support both days. We're also helping spread the word so more people show up, more jumps happen, and more money flows to APC's programs. That's the goal. If you've been following MRS for our Montana LLC vehicle registration work or our fleet registration support, this is a chance to see the other side of what it means to operate as a Montana company.
Honestly, we're proud to stand behind this one. DZone does excellent work, APC does vital work, and the combination of a skydiving fundraiser with a veteran-serving nonprofit feels exactly right for a June weekend in Montana.
What Members Say: The Human Case for APC
Numbers and mission statements matter, but the real case for APC is in what members say when they walk through the door for the first time. Trevor Hester's story is one that APC has shared publicly. After a chapter that included addiction and a point where he genuinely didn't expect to make it through, he found his way to APC. He describes it as a place where he could feel proud of his service again, without being judged for the parts of his story that were harder to carry. Since then, he's shown up for other veterans who are in the earlier stages of that same journey, not as a counselor but as a person who survived it and stayed.
That peer-to-peer accountability is a big part of what makes APC different from a standard veterans program. It's not just services, it's a community that regenerates itself. Every member who gets through something difficult becomes a resource for the next person who walks in. The fundraiser on June 29 and 30 keeps that cycle going.
"I felt like I was home.", "You don't know it, but you saved my life.", These are the phrases APC members keep coming back to.
How to Register and What Happens Next
Getting involved is straightforward. Book your tandem skydive or video package directly through DZone Skydiving's registration page. Show up on June 29 or 30 at Laurel Municipal Airport, 3900 Fox Road, Laurel, MT. Bring people with you. The more jumpers in the air, the more funds raised for APC, and the more people who see what this organization actually does.
Spots across both days are limited, and once they're gone, they're gone. If you're local to Laurel or anywhere in the Billings area, this is the kind of event worth blocking your calendar for. If you're farther out but looking for a reason to make the drive, APC's mission is a good one.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where exactly is the Feel the Freedom skydiving fundraiser being held?
The event takes place at Laurel Municipal Airport, located at 3900 Fox Road in Laurel, MT, on June 29 and 30. It's open to the public on both days.
How much of my jump fee goes to APC's veteran programs?
At least $50 from every jump booked during the Feel the Freedom event goes directly to the Adaptative Performance Center's veteran programs. The more jumps that happen, the more APC receives.
Do I need skydiving experience to participate in the tandem jump?
No experience is required. You'll jump strapped to a trained DZone instructor who guides you through free fall and the canopy glide back to the ground. A pre-jump safety briefing covers everything you need to know.
What are the eligibility requirements to jump at this event?
You must be 18 or older, weigh under 230 pounds, and be in good general health. If you have any medical concerns, check with your doctor before booking your spot.
What is the Adaptative Performance Center and who does it serve?
APC is a nonprofit gym in Billings, Montana built specifically for veterans and active duty service members. It combines fitness access with community support, VA connection resources, and a culture designed around the needs of people carrying combat trauma. It was founded by Karen and Mitch after years of working directly with veterans in a standard gym setting.
How is Montana Registration Services involved in this event?
Montana Registration Services is a sponsor of the Feel the Freedom event. We're providing food and ground support at Laurel Municipal Airport on both days, June 29 and 30, and helping spread the word to bring more jumpers out for APC's benefit.