This year has been a big one for veterans across the nation, with communities and organizations recognizing active and retired service members in various ways. In addition to the many memorials and events taking place to honor Vietnam war veterans, there have been other instances of communities celebrating their local veterans.
Warmth in Arizona
AZCentral recently reported that volunteers stitched 21 quilts and gave them to the MANA House, a transitional housing establishment devoted to assisting homeless veterans in moving into a new abode. The news provider also noted that the group had already shipped a large batch of quilts over state lines to the Eagles Healing Nest for Veterans in Minnesota.
Arizona has among the highest populations of veterans in the country, and the state is no stranger to large and small events that aim to show gratitude to those who have served in the military. For example, AZCentral noted that Phoenix will host a history program that involves the Spirit of St. Louis at the end of this month with one of the descendants of Donald Hall, an aircraft designer who had participated in the project.
A heart-warming story in Iowa
Social media posts can have a major impact on communities and the nation itself. One such post on Facebook led a town to get behind a Navy veteran who had passed away in Marshalltown, Iowa, the Des Moines Register reported. According to the news provider, the Mitchell Family Funeral Home had discovered that veteran Charles Lanam did not have any family at the time of his death, and posted that news on its Facebook page to alert the community.
The source pointed out that the post received about 1,500 shares within about a day, and that his funeral will likely be a packed house thanks to the visibility of the post, as well as the nearly 60 Patriot Guards who will be leading the procession on motorcycles.
"Whether there's two people there or 200 people, Marty decided that this man needed a funeral," Jordan Borcherding, a director at the funeral home, told the Des Moines Register, discussing his colleague's decision to publish the post. "This man served our country honorably and we should honorably serve him with a funeral."
Sometimes these types of local gestures can affect the veteran community more positively than some might think.