2/2/17 with art of training Tammy Tucker, our agency specialist from the Mid-Ohio FoodBank stopped by today to train Dixie Bishop, our new veterans services specialist on how MVRC helps local veteran families. MVRC entered into a partnership with the Mid-Ohio FoodBank in 2015. “Its been a good partnership because we are able to help a underserved population (veterans),” Tucker said. “And your program is unique in that each household gets five days worth of food each time,” she added. Mid-Ohio FoodBank has 650 partners in 20 counties. Mid-Ohio distributed 66.5-million pounds of food to all its partners last year. More than half the food distributed (55-percent) is fruits, vegetables, meat, dairy and breads. In January 2015, MVRC (all centers) served 13 households. Last month (January 2017), MVRC served 186 households. “When you look at that figure (186 households). It’s 50 families a week that MVRC served last month,” Tucker said. In 2015, MVRC served 628 households and received 13,500 pounds of food from Mid-Ohio. In 2016, MVRC served 1,333 households and received 21,500 pounds of food from Mid-Ohio. At the beginning of 2016, the food bank served an average of 60 households a month. During the second half of 2016, that figure more than doubled. The need is growing so that is why we need your donations now more than ever. Call Arnold Heightland at 614-336-4330 or email him at arnold.heightland@milvetsrc.org for details on how to donate. Or you can donate here.

1/31/17 “It’s a beautiful day for it, at least,” said Marion resident Pam Jeffers as car after car full of volunteers descended upon the burned-out trailer home of her brother, Ron Staats, at 974 Bennett Street in Marion early Saturday morning. After a brief roll-call and safety briefing, the more than 30 men and women got right to work. They came from all over the state and from all walks of life, with one common thread among them: All answered the call to help a fellow veteran in need. Most were military veterans and either belonged to Team Rubicon or Team Red, White and Blue (RWB). Team Rubicon puts the skills of veterans to work during disasters both large and small. Team RWB is focused on connecting veterans to their communities through physical and social activities but have expanded their reach in the form of  small-scale service projects. Members of Team Rubicon and Team RWB Columbus rip the siding off the trailer of Ron Staats. (Photo: Stefanie Hauck) Staats’ home, a single-wide trailer, was deemed a total loss in a fire Jan. 6. Staats, an Army veteran who served in Vietnam, barely got out of the fire alive, suffering severe burns to his head and minor burns to his left ear and face. The home had to come down. Jeffers, who lives around the corner from Staats, took him in while they figured out what to do. After several phone calls, Jeffers was put in touch with Wendy Anders, director of  the Marion […]

1/23/17 exchange logo Veterans will soon be able to shop online at military exchanges. The policy change will extend limited online military exchange shopping privileges to all honorably discharged veterans of the military, DoD officials said in a Jan. 13 news release. The shopping benefit will be effective this Veterans Day, Nov. 11, 2017. Shopping privileges exclude the purchase of uniforms, alcohol and tobacco products. According to the release, the online benefit will also strengthen the exchanges’ online businesses to better serve current patrons. Inclusion of honorably discharged veterans would conservatively double the exchanges’ online presence, according to DoD officials, thereby improving the experience for all patrons through improved vendor terms, more competitive merchandise assortments and improved efficiencies.

1/20/17 with old art Today (Jan. 20) is Inauguration Day in which the peaceful transfer of power takes place from one president to another. Jan. 20 is the traditional date of the Inauguration but that wasn’t always the case. For example, George Washington was sworn in on April 30, 1789. The date has been set at Jan. 20 since 1937. The tradition of attending a morning worship service on Inauguration Day began with Franklin D. Roosevelt in 1933. Until 1937, the Vice President was sworn into office in the Senate chamber. There have been 56 formal Presidential Inaugural ceremonies, held at over 10 different locations. Since George Washington in 1789, every President has delivered an Inaugural address, ranging from 8,445 words, to just 135. The first Inaugural ball in Washington was thrown for James and Dolley Madison in 1809, at Long’s Hotel. Most of the swearing-in ceremony is not required, it’s just tradition. The only Constitutional requirement for the inauguration ceremonies is that the president takes his oath of office. The first organized parade was for James Madison in 1809, but before that there were presidential processions. The word “Inauguration” derives from the Latin word inaugurationem – which refers to the ceremonies of the ancient Romans who sought to ascertain if it was the will of the gods (or ‘birds’ in some translations) for a public official to be deemed worthy to assume office. President Martin Van Buren rode to the ceremony in a wagon built of wood from the […]

MVRC Chillicothe staff helped serve the daily meal at the Carver Community Center in Chillicothe last week. The meal had a holiday theme with turkey, ham, stuffing, green beans and more. MVRC donated the ham to the cause. Happy holidays! Save

12/29/16 need to add slideshow Despite the cold misty air floating over gravestones of various sizes half-hidden by snow, more than 50 volunteers showed up to Forest Lawn Memorial Gardens on a recent Saturday to pay their respects to those who made the ultimate sacrifice. The group, bundled up in various layers some with gloves and some without, were there to participate in Wreaths Across America, a national initiative to make sure no veteran is forgotten during the holidays. Wreaths Across America is a nationwide simultaneous wreath laying effort to remember those willing to serve and sacrifice. Wreaths are purchased and donated by local clubs, veterans organizations, Boy Scout troops and community groups. On the second Saturday of December regardless of weather, those wreaths are placed on as many veterans’ graves as possible in cemeteries across the United States at the same time the wreaths are being placed at Arlington National Cemetery in Washington, D.C. MSgt. Stefanie Hauck US Air Force (Ret.,), our new communications officer, had the honor of participating as the Air Force representative at the short ceremony prior to wreath distribution throughout the cemetery. Members of local Boy Scout troops, VFWs,  Team Red, White and Blue (RWB) Columbus, veterans and members of the community participated in the event at Forest Lawn. The program is committed to teaching younger generations about the value of their freedoms, and the importance of honoring those who sacrificed so much to protect those freedoms. The organization offers learning tools, interactive media projects, […]

12/24/16 The holiday season is upon us and we are all well on our way in our celebrations with family and friends. During your celebrations this weekend, please pause and take a moment to reflect on all the things and people we value in our lives. At Military Veterans Resource Center, we are grateful for our Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen and Marines currently deployed all over the world. For them, it’s just another work day. But it’s a work day 6,000 or more miles away from home, family and friends. Think of them during your celebrations. We are also grateful for the service and sacrifice of our nation’s veterans, as they stepped forward and answered our nation’s call and their oath has no expiration date. It is because of them that we can freely celebrate the season at home with our families. As 2016 draws to a close, we reflect with gratitude on all the veterans we have been honored to serve in our centers each day. We look forward to continuing our service to Ohio’s veterans and families in 2017. To all veterans, service members, and families, we wish you a Merry Christmas and a wonderful holiday season. Sincerely, The MVRC Team

12/16/16 Varment Guard collected about $600 in a company-wide campaign to buy Christmas gifts for one of our Columbus families.  Elizabeth Kelly and her four children will have a happy holiday with presents under their tree thanks to Varment Guard’s generosity. Thanks goes out to Roger Clicquennoi, Gwyneth Flynn and Nina Johnston, who took the lead on the collection effort to ensure Kelly and her children have a joyous holiday. They even threw in some gift cards to local stores and tickets to Wildlights at the Columbus Zoo! Thanks again to Varment Guard for their generosity and we hope we can team up again next year! Update: Varment Guard received additional funds from their Pennsylvania office and donated another $100 gift card to the family on Dec. 21. In the photo is (back) Nina Johnston, Roger Clicquennoi and Gwyneth Flynn; (front) Elizabeth Kelly at our Columbus center. 

12/14/16 The Military Veterans Resource Center can help low-income veterans apply for the Home Energy Assistance Program (HEAP). HEAP helps pay the high costs of home heating. If you are eligible for assistance, the amount of your one-time HEAP benefit will depend on federal funding levels, how many people live with you, total household income and the primary fuel you use to heat your home. In most cases, the benefit will be a credit applied to your energy bill by your utility company or fuel vendor. The HEAP application can also be used to apply for an income-based payment plan for heating bills and the Weatherization Program which helps provide better home energy efficiency. Assistance is provided through a partnership with the Ohio Benefit Bank. To sign up, visit your local Military Veterans Resource Center. Columbus: 1395 E. Dublin-Granville Road, Suite 350, 614-230-0662 Dayton: 5420 Brandt Pike (Inside the AMVETS Post), 937-329-9559 Cincinnati (Hamilton): 633 High St., Ste. 101, 513-252-2395 Chillicothe: 631 Central Center, 740-571-4555

8/23/16 Over the weekend, local golfers throughout Chillicothe came together to play in Military Veterans Resource Center’s (MVRC) 2016 Forrest Everhart Memorial Open. Held at the Forrest Everhart Memorial Golf Course on the Chillicothe VA campus, we’ve made the tournament an annual tradition as a way to honor the legacy of World War II Medal of Honor recipient for whom the golf course is named, Forrest E. Everhart. Although 2016 marks the second year we’ve hosted the Forrest Everhart Memorial Open, the golf course has been serving the Southern Ohio community and its veterans since 1959. “Forrest Everhart was born on August 28 and died on August 30. We thought having this tournament in August and making it an annual event would be a great way to share his legacy with the community,” said MVRC Executive Director Len Proper. The Forrest Everhart Memorial Open kicked off bright and early Saturday morning at 8:30 a.m., with 19 players competing for cash prizes and the tournament trophy. According to Golf Course Manager Randy Post, the Forrest Everhart Memorial Golf Course is the only course in Ross County to host an individual tournament, making the game high pressure. “In tournaments like this, the pressure can get really high and there’s no telling who’s going to win,” said Post. “Even your most consistent players can crack under pressure.” By 2:30 p.m. the results were in. Jim Kellough, a Forrest Everhart Memorial Golf Course volunteer and Senior League member, came in first place and won the $500 prize, with a […]