Grassroots group continues to help wounded warriors

Grassroots group continues to help wounded warriors
Sixth annual barbecue will move to new Walter Reed facility
By Ron MacArthur
Mar 28, 2012

Photo by: Ron MacArthurDelaware Community Appreciation Group organizers Butch and Linda Elzey take part in a benefit event at the Greene Turtle in Lewes.

Walter Reed has officially relocated to Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Bethesda, Md. and now a local grassroots veteran support group says it's moving its annual barbecue to the new site, and its goal of helping wounded warriors remains steadfast.

For the past six years, the Delaware Community Appreciation Group has been raising money to provide a barbecue for wounded warriors at Walter Reed. During the event, organizers Butch and Linda Elzey hand out gift cards to wounded warriors to the tune of more than $200,000 over the years to hundreds of wounded soldiers to help pay for incidentals while at the hospital.

The group is planning its sixth annual summer barbecue at the new location. In addition, Elzey said DCAG is taking a slightly different approach to helping wounded warriors. “We are going to keep more of our money closer to home to help vets who are returning to Delaware,” he said.

He said it doesn't take a lot of money to make dramatic differences in veterans' lives. “Some vets are coming home to problems they don't know they have,” he said. “Some families are broken apart because of two to three or more deployments.”
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