Operation Stand Down helps area homeless veterans
Fri, 2015-10-30 05:00
News Staff
By LYNETTE SOWELL
A handful of homeless veterans received some tangible kindness on Saturday during the second annual Stand Down for Homeless Vets at the National Guard Armory in Killeen.
The Stand Down came about under the coordination of Covite Joann Courtland, who heads up Operation Stand Down Central Texas.
“The weather on Saturday did limit the homeless veterans from coming out—when it’s bad like that, they want to stay put and try and stay dry—but the community support and volunteer support was over the moon,” Courtland said. “So many people were just so happy to be there and be part of something that was bigger than themselves.”
On Saturday, homeless veterans had the opportunity to come in from the rainy day, get a shower, haircut, a hot meal from Texas BBQ and Steakhouse, a massage, and receive clothing and outerwear.
Courtland and her group of volunteers spent months collecting donated clothes, along with assembling personal hygiene kits from donors like local dentists.
“We tripled our number of stations this year over last year and had stations that I didn’t think we could get, like massage therapists, Ironclad Bodywork from Killeen, two physician assistants and two registered nurses, Families In Crisis, Bring Everyone In the Zone counselors,” Courtland said. “We did have hair dressers last year, but we had some new ones this year from The Service Station in Killeen.”
Additionally, representatives from the Department of Veterans Affairs, the Texas Veterans Commission were present to help veterans get connected with services.
This year, the HOP provided bags of bus route tokes for those veterans who needed transportation. Willie Fields, the commander of VFW Post 8577 in Copperas Cove, also spent time driving throughout the vicinity to give rides to veterans.
A special presentation was made on Saturday to OSDCT by Ret. Lt. Col. Richard Beil of the Leathernecks Club of North Texas. Beil gave Courtland’s group a check for $2,500, which will come in handy to keep the headquarters open in Copperas Cove. Courtland opened up an office for OSDCT in Cove Terrace Shopping Center earlier this year.
“Rich (Beil) and the club have provided such unwavering and generous support to our group we could not have gotten here without them providing all they have. We are so very proud to be in a partnership with them,” Courtland said.
In addition to providing space for OSDCT, the Copperas Cove office also holds peer-to-peer counseling meetings for veterans every Wednesday evening. Meetings are open to any veteran, but the groups ask those who attend to sign confidentiality agreements.
Courtland said OSDCT is planning more events in the future, to include another one in about six months to gear up for summertime. She said the group will continue to have winter clothing available for homeless veterans, as well as shoes, coats and towels.
For more information on Operation Stand Down Central Texas call 254-681-8522. The group has a Facebook page located at facebook.com/Operation-StandDownCentralTexas. Financial contributions may be sent to P.O. Box 887, Copperas Cove, TX 76522.