Post Raises Funds for Veterans
 |
||
|
Carol Veley at the Veterans Day ceremony Wednesday in New Milford. Photo by Laurie Gaboardi. |
||
New Milford Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 1672 Commander James Delancy said that the local veterans groups were able to secure sponsors for 550 white bags, with the names of veterans written on them, that were placed on Village Green this week to raise money for Soldier On, which has facilities in Northampton and Pittsfield, Mass., that provide help to a combined 263 homeless veterans.
The bags, which cost $5 each, were placed on the end of the Village Green near Bridge Street Wednesday morning as more than 200 people turned out for the annual Veterans Day ceremony.
Mr. Delancy said the fund-raiser generated about $2,600 for Soldier On.
Michael Hagmaier, a representative for Solider On, said the organization helps homeless veterans acquire job training. He said that there are 175,000 homeless veterans in the United States, many of whom suffer from substance abuse or mental disorders.
"We're trying to ease the burden of the homeless veterans," he said during a speech to the crowd.
Mr. Delancy said in an interview before the event that 45 percent of the veterans in the two homeless facilities in Massachusetts are from Connecticut.
On a separate topic, Mr. Delancy, a veteran of the Vietnam War, said that he is pleased that through the years the veterans groups have supported the veterans who served in Southeast Asia in the 1960s and 1970s, some of whom have been afflicted with disabilities from being exposed to the defoliant Agent Orange.
New Milford Mayor Patricia Murphy, a veteran of the U.S. Army, presented town medals to Eileen Shields, who served in the Air Force during Operation Enduring Freedom, Ray Crawford, a veteran of the U.S. Army Special Forces, and Kevin Brofford, who served in the Navy.
"She's been very supportive of the veterans," Mr. Delancy said in an interview.
Ms. Murphy said that she was among the veterans that participated in a ceremony a day earlier at Northville Elementary School, which was coordinated by Kathy Shemeley, a teacher there and New Milford's current teacher of the year.
"You wouldn't believe some of the questions they had," she said.
Mrs. Shemeley, who has been active in prisoner of war and missing in action issues for years, told the audience that Americans need to continue to support efforts to find missing soldiers, indicating that there is the possibility that some of them are still in Southeast Asia and North Korea.
The local veterans groups also placed wreaths on the Village Green to honor the soldiers and sailors that have served in various conflicts, and Mr. Delancy asked the crowd at the beginning of the 40-minute ceremony to remember the victims of the recent shootings at Fort Hood.
"Freedom is not free-we all have to work for it," he said.