Vets Helping Vets: Follow Up.

Sporkmaster | March 4, 2012

While my family was at the ceremonial start for the Iditarod, I ran into the president of the veterans group called “Vets helping Vets”, Calista Anderson. I had written about them in the past but I wondered how they were doing. I had not received a reply to my email and I am very bad at directions even thought I have been living in Anchorage for the past two years. So I got a chance to talk to her and see how they are doing.

According to Ms Anderson, the organization is running a thrift shop to help raise money to help the local veterans in the area. Also she said that if a Veteran needs a item, like a winter coat the they git it out for free. Here is a quick description of their goals for the shop on their Facebook page.

Vets Helping Vets is an organization that assist veterans in many ways, we like to say from a “Toothbrush to Transportation”. We help our veterans with clothing, warm winter gear, bus passes, food, jobs, and transporting to various locations, i.e. VA, jobs, housing, etc. We provide a hand “UP”, not a hand “OUT” and strive to make a difference “One VETERAN at a time”. Our nations heroes need our help and support, past, present and future, as they have and continue to preserve our freedom that provides the way of life we partake in today. Thank you !

This seems like a good group that is doing a good thing despite what happened with the previous President. But because most people do not watch the local TV news few people know what has been going on with them. So like the previous post I want to make sure that these efforts do not go unnoticed. Also to see if that I can bring attention and turn that into further assistance for their cause. For example you can contact Senator Bill Wielechowski since used a photo taken with them about supporting local veterans.

Oh and just a FYI this is the photo of Jerry L. Butler, who is currently on the run after being accused embezzling almost all of the organization’s money. So if anyone sees him please report him to the local authorities.