Vets' Corner — Thanks for the helping hand
By Ron Verini
Friday, October 23, 2009 11:35 AM PDT
Wal-Mart reached out its hand in the form of another donation to “Operation Quilts” for our troops deployed. Barbara Russell accepted the donation for Veteran Advocates of Ore-Ida. More than 5,000 quilts have shipped since this program started. Information about this and other programs can be found at
veteranadvocates.org.
Don and Sandy Pittman made a presentation of six birdfeeders to the American Legion Post 96 and the Veteran Advocates of Ore-Ida this last week. These birdfeeders and other items will be brought to The Dalles for our veterans. The candlelight vigil continues with Commander Silva at Legion bingo in Vale. It is nice that a moment of silence is observed for our troops and a candle lit before bingo even starts on Friday night. The American Legion Auxiliary Unit 96 plus others at bingo have made baby blankets for our local military families.
This last weekend was an important one for the families of Charlie Company and the 116th. This weekend revolved around Purdums Pumpkin Patch, kids, paint, letter writing, food and training for our citizen-soldiers. With the soldiers training for future missions and proficiency on weapons such as the M249 machine gun, the families were off enjoying the pleasures of October through the support of the Family Support Group of the 116th and the community. If you would like to be part of this mission for our local veterans, citizen-soldiers and active duty military and families, please visit the Park Center location of the Veteran Advocates of Ore-Ida. The office and “USO”-type location is open from Monday through Friday from 9 p.m. to 5 p.m. All are invited: coffee, snacks and computers for you to look for jobs, search the VA and the Department of Defense as well as National Guard sites for information about benefits and needs. Browse through the many pamphlets and pick up the latest veterans benefits books, then sit back and learn from those that have been in the system to share ideas. As a team, we are able to look at legislation and also look at our local needs and be able to help with both. Our open house is Nov. 7 and ribbon cutting is Nov. 11.
The Bethany Presbyterianism Church had the pleasure of a presentation by local veteran Advocates as to how they might help our local Veterans and had the chance to view a quilt that was going to be sent to a soldier deployed. The next day, a visit by one of the members of the church came by the “office” to see what we were all about. Volunteers and sharing are the backbone of this community, and the sharing of “time and talent” is going to be what makes our veteran community strong. Call me if you wish to be part of the solution.
Ronald Verini is a local veterans advocate who writes a weekly column for the Argus Observer. He can be contacted at (541) 881-8881.
