Albany, Sylvester veterans groups make holiday brighter for homeless veterans

ALBANY — Continuing their tradition of veterans helping veterans, two area organizations teamed to provide turkeys and trimmings to former military service members who are currently homeless.

During a recent visit from Sylvester American Legion Post 335 to provide Bingo to veterans at the Dublin Veterans Administration center, a representative there asked if the group could find corporate sponsors to provide turkeys for homeless veterans for the holiday.

Finding little success in landing corporate participation, Post 335 teamed up with Albany Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) Post 2785 to come up with the needed funds.

“I thought … ‘we are veterans,’” said Sr. Vice Cmdr. Paul Murray of Post 2785. “‘Why don’t we do it ourselves?’”

The two groups agreed to put up as much as $1,500 each to purchase turkeys.

Then there came the question of logistics, as in how to locate, store and transport the 150 frozen turkeys.

Eric Hermann in Sylvester came up with the idea of handing out gift certificates. Keith Griffin, who is in charge of planning events for veterans housed at the VA in Dublin, agreed that idea was more practical, and after checking around partnered with Kroger, Murray said.

Kroger notified the group that promotional deals closer to the holidays would stretch the money to not only cover the turkeys but also the side dishes. The gift cards were handed out on Saturday in time for the holiday.

Christmas and Thanksgiving are the two most important holidays for military personnel while they are deployed, both being family-oriented occasions that keep them away from home and loved ones while often posted in faraway and isolated parts of the world, Murray said.

It also can be a lonely time for veterans, and many of those veterans being assisted by the VA often have little outside contact and only receive visits from organizations like the American Legion and VFW, such as with the Bingo events, he said.

Helping out veterans over the holidays is a tradition for the Albany VFW, Post 2785 Quartermaster Terry Harroun said, and plans are in the works for Christmas. The funds spent for the Thanksgiving feasts came from the organization’s general fund.

“It’s really gratifying to share what you have with someone who doesn’t, particularly when they’re veterans,” he said. “Our motto is ‘No one does more to help veterans,’ not even the VA, and it’s true. It’s an annual event in Dublin. It’s what we do.”

Special Photo