The Pierce County Veteran Services Office is cruising into fall and enjoying some mild weather while watching the trees transform into their beautiful fall colors. We are also taking the time to reflect with our deepest gratitude, thanking our community of volunteers and sponsors who made our Pierce County Veteran Services fundraiser a tremendous success. Thanks to the overwhelming generosity of our community, we have exceeded our fundraising goal. One hundred percent of the funds raised will directly impact the lives of our veterans by providing essential resources such as food, gas, rent and groceries. We live in a time where prices continue to go up and those contributions help us to be able to help just a little more, do just a little more and be more, all to help support those who have served.

Our sincerest thanks go to every donor, every sponsor and every volunteer who showed up at the 14^th Annual Pierce County Veteran Services Golf Tournament. Your support creates a lasting, positive change for those who served, truly making a difference. Together, as a community, we can continue to do more and achieve more. While we celebrate this achievement, let’s keep up the momentum to continue our vital work in caring for our Pierce County veterans.

We wanted to talk a bit more and share with you exactly what is made possible because of the generosity of our community. In other words, why we do what we do. When a veteran visits our office for a benefits review, we don’t just discuss their hearing loss or their back problems which resulted from their military service. In our benefits review process, we talk about how things are going with their jobs or job search, how they make things work with their spouse and how expenses may only be going up these days in addition to child care - and any other issues they may be having. Perhaps they are worried about an upcoming serious surgery and just need to discuss that. We once had a veteran request our office to be his next of kin when filling out his documents as he had no one else. We were able to give him a gas card in order to get to his VA Medical Center surgery consult. Those everyday conversations take on a different meaning sometimes, leading us along some dark pathways of life. It is an honor for us to be there in all  those moments for a veteran. It can also be about a car payment that they just cannot afford to make that month, meaning that they cannot get to work to make a living for their family. Another such scenario meant that without his vehicle, the veteran would not be able to support other veterans in treatment by driving them to the VAMC Minneapolis, as he had been doing to support them so they could continue their much-needed care. Because of you, we were able to meet the needs of a surviving spouse and family of a recently deceased veteran, helping them to get a new gas dryer in order to help them feel a bit of kindness at a difficult time. Because of you, we were also able to help a veteran suffering with physical and mental health issues battle a cleanup of their living space when things looked hopeless, giving them a new fresh space and better outlook on life. Your generosity only helps us to continue to share the stories of our veterans who, thanks to your support, have been empowered to build fulfilling lives post service. By coming together for this cause, we have strengthened the bond between our community and our veterans. We show them they are not alone.

Your giving is not just about making the donation. It is about truly making a difference. At the end of the day it’s not about what you have, it is about who you have lifted up, who you’ve helped make better.

It is with our attitude of gratitude and our conscious mindset and regular practice of focusing on abundance and appreciating the positive aspects of life, that we share this message with you. We are thankful for the generous contributions of our community. One hundred percent of donations made go to local veterans in need. For more information on making potential contributions to the Pierce County Veterans Emergency Financial Assistance Fund, please contact our office at 715-273-6753 or by email at pcvso@co.pierce.wi.us