Ralph Varela, Director of the Pinal County Hispanic Council, and Belinda Akes, Eloy Veterans Center Coordinator, (center) receive a grant check from SOT-AZ Board members Herb Smith, Coralee Harr, Sharon Hicks, and Edd Michaud.
Martin Bender, SOT-AZ
Support Our Troops-Arizona is marching on in its mission to provide support to active-duty military, veterans, military families, and military–related community programs. During February and March, SOT-AZ presented grant checks to the Arizona Veterans Home ($3,000) in Tucson, the Fisher House ($6,000) next to the Tucson VA Hospital, the Tollison High School USMC Junior ROTC program ($3,000), and the Eloy Veterans Center ($2,500).
The Veterans Home in Tucson is a 120-bed skilled nursing facility for eligible Arizona veterans. SOT-AZ grants to the Veterans Home help provide ancillary recreational and social activities for the residents.
The Fisher House provides a “Home Away from Home” so family members can be close to their loved ones being treated at the Tucson VA Hospital. The facility features 16 private hotel units with a shared kitchen, laundry facilities and a common area living room, and is available to eligible individuals and family members at no cost. Fisher House will be using the SOT-AZ grant to help stock the kitchen pantry and have available personal items for the convenience and comfort of their guests.
Each November for the past several years, high school Marine Corps JROTC Cadets have presented the service flags and the national colors in impressive fashion at the opening ceremonies of SOT-AZ Veterans Week Live Auction events. To return the salute and to support the high school JROTC program, which is focused on leadership, patriotism, and discipline, plus military history and traditions, SOT-AZ presented a grant check to the Cadets at Tolleson High School to add to their fundraising efforts for a spring break trip to Hawaii. The Cadets will see Pearl Harbor, the Punch Bowl Cemetery, and other historic military points of interest on Oahu. A familiarization ride in the Marine Corps tilt-rotor aircraft, the Osprey, is also on their itinerary.
In December, the Eloy Veterans Center moved to new quarters on Main Street in the downtown area. The latest SOT-AZ grant to the Veterans Center was presented in March and will be used for additional building restorations. The Eloy Veterans Center serves as a gathering place for veterans in addition to having volunteers available to provide employment and VA benefit counseling. The Veterans Center also has available clothing and food items for veterans facing difficult times.
Support Our Troops-Arizona thanks the Robson Ranch community for its generous support to enable SOT-AZ to accomplish its mission. Equally important to financial support is the participation of volunteers in activities and fundraising efforts throughout the year. Many more volunteers are needed for SOT-AZ’s continued success. To be directly involved let your interest be known by submitting a volunteer form on the web at SOT-AZ, or contact Herb Smith, President (pesident@SOT-AZ.org); Sharon Hicks, Events Chairperson (520–660-2570); Keith Stepp, Flags Committee (602–826-5384); or Jim Harr, Veterans, Military, and Families Committee (VMFC) (605–216-7088). Help salute those who are serving and those who have served in our armed forces to guarantee the freedoms we all enjoy.