Rain did not stop Vietnam Veteran from his duty to VFW!

After Photo of Veteran Sitting in the Rain Goes Viral, Walmart Makes Amends
WNEP 16 News
BY ALLEN VICKERS
May 5, 2018

DICKSON CITY, Pa. -- Thousands on Facebook shared a picture of a veteran sitting by himself in the rain outside a Walmart in Dickson City.

In the post, the veteran's wife says he was made to sit out in the rain and not in the covered area of the store.

One day later, Manuel Griffin was in front of the store again--this time in the sun--collecting donations for service members.

The veteran wouldn't talk with Newswatch 16 on camera. He friend David Ragan knows why.

“He is going to do what he has to do for his VFW, and he wants to make sure he is representing them the same way we did when we wore the uniform,” Ragan said.
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Indiana National Guard veteran helped by community

Volunteers pitch in to help Indiana veteran who suffers multiple seizures a day
WTTV 4 News
BY MATT SMITH
MAY 5, 2018

RUSSIAVILLE, Ind. – Volunteers descended onto a farmhouse in Russiaville Saturday, helping a veteran and Hoosier who dedicated more than two decades with the Indiana National Guard.

Larry Sparks served numerous deployments including to Iraq, Afghanistan and to help in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. What has followed is a traumatic brain injury, daily seizures and PTSD.

“It’s been a process,” he said. “It’s been tough.”

Sparks reached out to the non-profit Wish 4 Our Heroes to help.

Saturday volunteers sanded walls, put my new siding and help renovate numerous rooms inside the home. More volunteers are needed to help paint next week.
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Group gave Army veteran Jon Vandeyacht new motorcycle

Local group donates motorcycle to Wisconsin veteran
WKOW 27 ABC News
By Scott Behrens
May 6, 2018

MADISON (WKOW) -- A local organization is coming together to support a Wisconsin veteran.

The Madison-area group Hogs for Heroes is donating a motorcycle to Army veteran Jon Vandeyacht, from Omro, as a thank you for serving our country.

"I escaped death five times," said Vandeyacht.

Vandeyacht served three tours in combat in Iraq.

"With the IED's at any given moment you could blow up and be dead," Vandeyacht told 27 News.

He's lost friends along the way.

Vandeyacht said, "I had a truck in front of me that got blown up and the blast rocked ours so bad that it knocked me into tomorrow, that's scary that's the hardest part."

Five years ago Vandeyacht had to retire after being seriously hurt.
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Why let your engine overheat?

Crying keeps your engine cool!
PTSD Patrol
Kathie Costos
May 6, 2018

We have all heard the saying "men don't cry" but that must have originated from a man who couldn't do it. Think of what he was like. He must have been one nasty individual.

Imagine not being able to cope with strong emotions. Then again, imagine what it must have been like to not be able to release that negative power. His engine must have overheated all the time.

Radiators A radiator is an integral part of your car’s engine coolant system. Its primary task is to keep the engine cool — if the radiator were to malfunction, the pistons would seize up, destroying the engine. In effect, the radiator along with the rest of the cooling system is your personal insurance against a devastating repair bill.

If you have PTSD after doing your job, then there are things you need to know beyond what you imagine.

You may think that others like you do not need to cry. After all, you are so courageous that you were willing to die for the sake of someone else. Right? Why were you willing to do that? Is it because you did not care about any of them?

Would it help to know that one of the most courageous men to walk this earth cried? 

He was feeling such empathy for someone else, he could not control his emotions and he wept.

I am sure by now you know where I am going with this. That man was Jesus. When He was in the garden, knowing His days on earth were coming to an end, He had such and inner struggle going on that when He did not weep, the emotional pressure was so great that his sweat came out as drops of blood.

42 “Father, if you are willing, take this cup from me; yet not my will, but yours be done.” 43 An angel from heaven appeared to him and strengthened him.44 And being in anguish, he prayed more earnestly, and his sweat was like drops of blood falling to the ground. (Luke 22)

His engine overheated. Now, sure, you can dismiss all of this but then you'd have to dismiss the fact that Jesus knew all along who He was and what He was supposed to do. He also knew when it would happen. 
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HOME DEPOT FOUNDATION REACHES QUARTER-BILLION-DOLLARS for Veterans!

THE HOME DEPOT FOUNDATION REACHES QUARTER-BILLION-DOLLAR COMMITMENT TO VETERAN-RELATED CAUSES

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May 04, 2018

ATLANTA, May 4, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, The Home Depot® Foundation announced it has reached its goal of investing a quarter of a billion dollars in veteran-related causes by 2020 – two years early. 

Since 2011, the Foundation’s mission has been to improve the homes and lives of U.S. military veterans, with a focus on serving homeless, combat-wounded and senior veterans. In 2016, due to the growing needs of those who served, the Foundation pledged to give $250 million by 2020 to nonprofits serving veterans. 

Through incredible partnerships with organizations including Stephen Siller Tunnel to Towers Foundation, Semper Fi Fund, Habitat for Humanity, Volunteers of America and many others, The Home Depot Foundation has impacted the lives of veterans and their families across the United States. Since 2011, the Foundation has enhanced nearly 40,000 veteran homes and facili-ties in more than 2,500 cities. 

“Our veterans have sacrificed so we can have our freedom, so it’s a true honor to give back to them,” said Shannon Gerber, executive director of The Home Depot Foundation. “We’re fortunate to work with the best nonprofits in the veteran housing space and we’ll continue to partner together to serve those who have served us all.”  

About The Home Depot Foundation 

The Home Depot Foundation works to improve the homes and lives of U.S. veterans, train skilled tradespeople to fill the labor gap and support communities impacted by natural disasters.

Since 2011, the Foundation has invested a quarter of a billion dollars in veteran-related causes and improved more than 40,000 veteran homes and facilities in 2,500 cities. In 2018, the Foundation committed an additional $50 million dollars to train 20,000 skilled tradespeople over the next 10 years starting with separating military members and veterans, at-risk youth and members of the Atlanta Westside community. To learn more about The Home Depot Foundation and see Team Depot in action, visit thd.co/community and follow us on Snapchat, Twitter and Instagram@teamdepot and on Facebook at facebook.com/teamdepot.