Bringing holiday cheer to veterans is a nice way to help show support and is a way to thank them for their service and sacrifices.
This is what the Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 3111 of Great Bend is doing with “Operation Adopt A Vet.”
The program is designed to reach out to local veterans who are in nursing homes, let them know they are not forgotten and that people of the community still care about them.
“Operation Adopt a Vet is a wonderful idea,” VFW Auxiliary member Pearl White said. “It is great to do this for local veterans and a way to show them we care.”
Operation Adopt a Vet is a special Christmas tree located at the VFW Post 3111. On this tree people can find special name tags with the veterans names and what they would like for Christmas.
Members of the VFW Post 3111 and the public are welcome to take a tag off the tree and purchase those gifts.
The items these veterans are asking for range from T-shirts to socks to long sleeve shirts to comedy DVDs.
Once the gift is purchased and wrapped with the name tag from the tree taped to the package, they are to be brought back to the VFW no later then Dec. 19 for delivery to the veterans.
Members of the VFW Post 3111 will be taking the gifts to the nursing homes at 2 p.m. on Dec. 20.
Donations are also welcomed and with the donation a name will be picked from the tree and a gift will be purchased and wrapped. If someone would like to make a donation, money can be left in an envelope and dropped off at the post after 3 p.m. any day of the week.
The post is located at 504 Washington St. Put Operation Adopt a Vet on the envelope.
As of Thursday there are still eight names still on the tree.
The VFW
According to the VFW, the VFW’s voice had been instrumental in establishing the Veterans Administration, creating a GI Bill for the 20th century, the development of the national cemetery system and the fight for compensation for Vietnam vets exposed to Agent Orange and for veterans diagnosed with Gulf War Syndrome.
In 2008, VFW won a long-fought victory with the passing of a GI Bill for the 21st Century, giving expanded educational benefits to America’s active-duty service members, and members of the Guard and Reserves, fighting in Iraq and Afghanistan.
The VFW also has fought for improving VA medical centers services for women veterans.
The VFW strives to do good things for deserving people like veterans, their families and their communities. From local grass roots ideas to national influence, the VFW works every day to make a difference. It’s the VFW’s strength as an organization. And, with each individual membership, they only grow stronger.
