Reaching out to forgotten veterans Siblings honor memory of their father – and provide simple necessities to Veterans Home residents Karen Mahoney CORRESPONDENT They are Persian Gulf War veterans and fathers fighting to stay sober. They served in Vietnam, some fought in the Gulf War, some in Bosnia and Iraq- and some are woman. All are someone's children, parents, brothers or sisters, or friends and all have given their lives for the freedoms many Americans take for granted. Each night, more than 275,000 veterans will sleep under bridges, in alleys and abandoned buildings because they have no home. They are this nation's forgotten heroes - men and women who once proudly served in a military uniform. on a transient basis are approximately 40 displaced veterans trying to get their lives on track. Thanks to the efforts of siblings Steve Good,Dawn Clough and Judy Good-Alexander, the veterans are getting some of the respect they deeply deserve. After 80-year-old Evan Good, a Navy veteran who served during World War II passed away in Boland Hall at the Veterans Home in October 2008, his children couldn't stay away. "We had made some really close friends with other residents after our dad's stroke seven months before he passed," said Steve."My sisters kept coming to bring personal care items, clothing, blankets - whatever they could bring. They often brought in homemade treats for the residents and staff, but because the veterans where our dad was were on restricted diets, we were introduced to the residents of Cottage 16." Perhaps it is because they never ask for anything, yet offered themselves as the ultimate sacrifice, that the family decided to go a step further to provide them with a special dinner. On Nov. 4, Steve's company, Spring Green Lawn Care in Union Grove hosted a dinner at the Veterans Home to honor the veterans from past wars. "We provided homemade pork loin, chickens, potato salad, coleslaw, breads and desserts," said Steve, choking back tears. "Dad was a good man and he was always there to help, but never expected anything in return - even after serving our country, he never asked. We did this to honor his legacy and give these veterans a boost at the end of this trying year. We don't do any of this for ourselves and we don't want any recognition - we are just doing it for them." In addition, the family sisters hosted a chili supper in October and are busy collecting coats, blankets, pillows and toiletries to provide the veterans with a bit of much needed comfort during our cold Wisconsin winters. According to Judy, their efforts, now known as the "Good Friends of Cottage 16" began by expressing her anger at a government who she said chooses to provide more benefits to illegal immigrants and prisoners than for those who shed their blood so all Americans can walk free. "I began writing e-mails to everyone, and my husband, who is a 25-year veteran told me that I was taking the light off the need and putting it on the problem. He was right and I decided to do something," she said. "One time when I dropped my dad's clothes off to the veterans, I asked them, 'What can I do for you?'" A stunned Judy learned that the homeless residents needed simple items like shaving cream, razors, toothbrushes,toothpaste, pillows, blankets, hats and mittens. She and her sister began visiting rummage sales, thrift stores, grocery stores to purchase supplies and spread the word. She e-mailed large and small corporations begging for help - but no one seemed to be listening. "I felt like a small whisper in the middle of a hurricane and came up with rejections all the time. I am just really sad to know that so few people care about anyone else," she said."And then one day, I got an e-mail from Steve and it still chokes me up today. He said he had been reading my e-mails and wanted to help. It really hit me emotionally that my brother was there and was listening and being a hero. He paid his employees for a day off to put on this dinner - he has truly touched my heart." Determined to stay united, the Good Friends of Cottage 16 are determined to continue their mission to bring awareness to the many faces of homeless veterans and to find ways to help. Government figures show that former members of the United States military comprise less than 13 percent of the American adult population, yet veterans account for roughly 33 percent of the nation's homeless population. Many struggle with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, separation from families and friends during extended periods of time, limited applicability of their military training in the civilian workforce, or service connected disabilities. Compounding the difficulty of homeless veterans is the widely accepted belief that the Veterans Administration takes care of all veterans in need. The fact is, according to its own data, the VA, in conjunction with all other federal programs reach fewer than 20 percent of the homeless veterans in this country. "It is hard for me to believe these brave men and women who were willing to die for us, are not even able to look into the mirror and do something as simple as shave or brush their teeth. Something is terribly wrong," Judy said. "We need to let them know that they are not forgotten." The whisper seems to be growing louder as the Kiwanis Club of Southeast Wisconsin has aligned with the Good Friends of Cottage 16, and will be hosting a fundraiser in February to aid the veterans. At the Nov. 4 dinner, Harold Enger, director of education from the corporate office of Spring-Green in Plainfield, Ill., presented a check, warm clothing, and personal care items to the Veterans home. "See what can happen with one little voice that speaks to another voice," said Judy. "You gain power and that is how you gain a voice and how you get empowered. We couldn't do any of this without the people who have stepped up to help."
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Saturday, November 7, 2009
Reaching out to Forgotten Veterans
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