2020 Veteran Club Outreach activities
The Veterans Club collected personal hygiene items from the residents of Sun City to donate to the "Comin Home" temporary homeless Veteran housing unit at Grant & Palo Verde in Tucson. Items were collected every day and kept on accumulating. Everyone's generous support help make this a successful event. Delivery was made on Jan 13, 2020 by Ralph Liguori, Bill Baker, Dennis Reynolds, Tome Bethea, David Thomas and myself. We enjoyed NY pizza after the delivery.
Club members Jeannette Moore, Ian Friedlander, Rick Dugan and Mike LaBarbera volunteered on Wednesday Jan 29, 2020 to count the homeless in Tucson. We searched in some out of the way places. There were 5 homeless in our search area but other team members in our group found them. Hot coffee after a cold morning.
Mike LaBarbera, Jeannette Moore, Larry Clark, Ted Tindall, with Aalt Brouwer, Views Food & Beverage Director, pose next to the US Flag at the Views Restaurant after putting it up on Feb 3, 2020
Our Veterans Club sponsors a Little Caesar's pizza lunch at the "Comin Home" temporary Veterans unit in Tucson on Feb 6, 2020. The residents enjoy a fresh, hot pizza, not leftovers from yesterday.
Veteran Club members Jeannette Moore, Paco Munson, Anne Stiles and myself helped sort donated clothing for the "Stand Down" for Veterans on March 10. Clothing was arranged by male/female and by size so needy Veterans can come by tomorrow and update their wardrobe.
Veteran Club members Gerry Buddenbaum, Matt Tombre, Wayne Klenda, Bill Livingston and myself delivered 2 pickup trucks of donated clothing from Sun City residents to the homeless Veteran storage unit in Tucson on April 23.
Club members Bill Livingston, Brian Goff, Keith Lambert and myself delivered DVD players, VCR players, Receivers, headphones, speakers, movies, music and more, donated by our wonderful SCOV community, to the Veterans Home by the Tucson VA Hospital Center on May 22.
Little Caesar's donated 10 pizza's in the Veteran Club name for dinner at the "Comin Home" temporary Veterans unit in Tucson on May 28, 2020. The residents enjoy a fresh, hot pizza, not leftovers from yesterday.
Veteran club member Alan Belauskas and myself delivered hygiene items, clothes and end tables, donated by SCOV residents, to Old Pueblo Community Services to distribute to Veterans on June 8. Monica Durand, chief development officer, is grateful for what our club has done for Tucson Veterans.
Our Veterans Club sponsored a pizza lunch at the "Comin Home" and 4 other temporary Veterans homeless housing units in Tucson on Aug 6, 2020. Little Caesar's bought 15 pizza's in the Veteran Club name. The residents enjoyed a fresh, hot pizza, not leftovers from yesterday.
Our Veterans Club sponsored a pizza lunch at the "Comin Home" and 4 other temporary Veterans homeless housing units in Tucson on Oct 8, 2020. Little Caesar's bought 15 pizza's in the Veteran Club name. The residents enjoyed a fresh, hot pizza, not leftovers from yesterday.
Jim Steinmetz and Mike LaBarbera were part of over 30 motorcycles who escorted 27 Unclaimed Veterans remains from Adair Funeral home in Oro Valley to the Veterans Cemetery in Marana on October 24th. Veteran club member Jim Steinmetz carried a Veterans remains before and after ceremony. Moving ceremony if you have never been to one before.
On Nov 11th, Veterans Day, Jim Steinmetz, Jeannette Moore, Ed Caine, Ian Friedlander, Bill Livingston and myself delivered and served lunch to homeless Veterans in Tucson.They enjoyed pulled pork, Roosevelt baked beans, potato salad and cake. Thanks to Ed for cooking the pork.
On Nov 21th, Ian Friedlander, Bill Livingston, Russ Story, Larry Webster, Bob Davis, David Kettleson, John Farmer and myself delivered 4 pickup trucks and an SUV full of 35 computers, furniture, clothing and personal hygiene product to the temporary homeless unit in Tucson. Great job and thanks to SCOV for the donations.
Dec 12 Army-Navy Football Game in the Activity Center Auditorium. BBQ pulled pork before the game at the picnic tables near the bocce courts. Fun by all even after WiFi disruption at half time. Army defeated Navy 15-0. We will try again next year post COVID.
Dec 19 Anne Stiles, Ian Friedlander and Mike LaBarbera helped lay over 900 wreaths at grave sites for Veterans at the Veteran Cemetery in Marana.