Vet to raffle roadster to help homeless heroes

Vet to raffle roadster to help homeless heroes

By JOAN DEMIRJIAN

Tony Campanella, of Chester, a U.S. Army veteran, is hoping to build a home for homeless veterans.

He has founded a charity, House Our Heroes, to help find housing. And to raise money to build it, he is raffling his own 1965 Corvette Roadster. The drawing will be held on Veterans Day, Nov. 11.

There are more than 107,000 homeless veterans in the United States, and most people believe the government takes care of its veterans after they complete service, he said.

"It is a misconception, even for veterans left disabled from war," Mr. Campanella said.

It is a problem that he said he cannot ignore, and he founded House Our Heroes last year. It is dedicated to helping homeless veterans in Cuyahoga, Geauga, Lake and Ashtabula counties find housing and the training they need to become productive citizens.

Many veterans come home from active duty and are living with a parent or friend, he said.

"In my estimation, it is a problem and something needs to be done," he said. "We're looking to build or buy a facility as inexpensively as possible," Mr. Campanella said.

A volunteer staff will assist and the government's daily stipend of $35 per veteran will help cover some of the costs. The support program that House Our Heroes provides will assist the veterans with counseling and transportation for medical treatments.
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