Homer Auxiliary hosts opportunity to give back to Veterans on Nov. 2
BY DANI TIETZ
dani@sjodaily.com
November is a time to give back.
“It is important that the (Homer Legion) Auxiliary, and actually everyone, continue to support our veterans because without them supporting our country, we may be living in a whole different way,” Homer Legion Auxiliary member Kim Graham said.
“Our veterans fought for our freedom and gave up their families to do so. There are some veterans that were injured and cannot live the life they deserve, so it is important we try to do what we can to help them.”
The Homer Auxiliary works year-round to provide veterans in the VA Illiana Health Care System in Danville with items they may need.
Many of the supplies they are able to provide come from their annual Veteran’s Supply Drive in November.
After six years of collecting supplies at the Homer Gazebo, the group will move indoors to the Homer Methodist Church this year for the supply drive and to host a pancake breakfast.
“This year we planned a breakfast and we didn’t want our members not wanting to be occupied two weekends in a row, so we decided to do it at the same time,” Graham said.
Still hoping for a great turnout on the Saturday, Nov. 2 event, product and monetary donations will go directly to the needs of veterans.
“The donations are always used for veterans whether at the VA, home-bound, homeless or those stationed overseas,” Graham said.
“The supplies (and) toiletries we receive from the Veteran’s Drive and year-round are taken to the VA and distributed to the veterans that live there.”
Graham said that most of the supplies go to the nursing home side of the VA.
“If our supply room at the VA has an overflow of certain items we keep those in our auxiliary storage and sometimes we send items along with items we purchase to soldiers overseas that someone has asked if we could send something to someone.”
But the running joke is that is someone has something they want to donate, the Auxiliary will find a place for it.
“Once in a while people will donate items we cannot use, so we have donated those to other organizations or different church programs,” Graham said.
“We have even picked up furniture in the past and donated it to veterans that get placed in their first home after being homeless for several years.”
Focusing on veterans first, realizing that some do not have family nearby, the Auxiliary also helps the elderly get to doctors appointments, picks up groceries for them and helps them get to church or fix meals.
Some veterans are even managing on a limited income.
Graham said that the auxiliary draws from the reserves to make sure that veterans get what they need.
“Once a week the two or three of us that volunteer there call the four or five wards to see what is needed,” she said. “We get the toiletries, snacks, color books, tablets, pens, crayons, colored pencils, decks of card or whatever else we have they may want and we deliver it to them.
“If the donations don’t come in, sometimes different auxiliary units will purchase some of the items needed.”
The Auxiliary is looking to collect some of those supplies on Nov. 2 at the Homer Methodist Church from 8 a.m. to noon.
Items being accepted include:
3-1 body wash
Shampoo
2-1 body wash
Body lotion
Baby lotion
Baby shampoo
Vaseline
Chapstick
Puzzle books
Toothbrushes
Men’s body spray
Alcohol-free mouthwash
Shaving cream
Any kind of snacks (regular or sugar-free)
Candy, cookies, chips, raisins, crackers, pudding cups, jello cups
CASH
Please no used clothing or used toiletries.
