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Roseburg Veterans Affairs Medical Center volunteers Kayla Tuttle, left, and her mother, Mary Anne Tuttle, pick up a box of donated items to load into a cart at the Roseburg hospital Friday. In Country Vets Motorcycle Club members donated various items primarily for patients with posttraumatic stress disorder.
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ENLARGE
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Marie Anderson, mental health services manager at the Roseburg Veterans Affairs Medical Center, left, looks as In Country Vets Motorcycle Club member Paul Davidson displays 300 pre-paid phone cards that the club donated to the VA to benefit patients with posttraumatic stress disorder.
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A group of Vietnam veterans visited the Roseburg Veterans Affairs Medical Center Friday, hoping to bring smiles to a few veterans’ faces.
Five members of the In Country Vets Motorcycle Club brought 14 boxes full of gifts, primarily for patients with posttraumatic stress disorder, or PTSD.
They brought socks, sweatshirts, DVDs and a player to play them on, reading glasses, phone cards, paint sets and more.
The club, which is open only to Vietnam veterans who served in combat, has the motto “Veterans Helping Veterans,” and all of the donations it receives go to the cause, said member Bob Walters. The group has made similar deliveries to VA facilities in White City and Portland.
“For us it’s a pleasure and an honor to be able to bring these things for the veterans,” said Walters, who is from Eugene.
Mental Health Services manager Marie Anderson thanked the group for their gifts, and the donation was met with applause from a crowd that included patients and staff, along with County Commissioner Joe Laurance and Sutherlin Mayor Lee Sparks, both of whom are Vietnam veterans.
Using money from fundraisers, two Douglas County club members, John Horwath of Sutherlin and Ruben Escalera of Myrtle Creek, bought gifts at Bi-Mart in Sutherlin, and the purchases were supplemented with gifts from a variety of businesses.
Five members of the In Country Vets Motorcycle Club brought 14 boxes full of gifts, primarily for patients with posttraumatic stress disorder, or PTSD.
They brought socks, sweatshirts, DVDs and a player to play them on, reading glasses, phone cards, paint sets and more.
The club, which is open only to Vietnam veterans who served in combat, has the motto “Veterans Helping Veterans,” and all of the donations it receives go to the cause, said member Bob Walters. The group has made similar deliveries to VA facilities in White City and Portland.
“For us it’s a pleasure and an honor to be able to bring these things for the veterans,” said Walters, who is from Eugene.
Mental Health Services manager Marie Anderson thanked the group for their gifts, and the donation was met with applause from a crowd that included patients and staff, along with County Commissioner Joe Laurance and Sutherlin Mayor Lee Sparks, both of whom are Vietnam veterans.
Using money from fundraisers, two Douglas County club members, John Horwath of Sutherlin and Ruben Escalera of Myrtle Creek, bought gifts at Bi-Mart in Sutherlin, and the purchases were supplemented with gifts from a variety of businesses.
The members plan to come back, and they asked VA officials for a list of items that patients need. Walters said the club has raised money for a geriatric chair and an exercise bike for the Portland VA Hospital.
“We’re happy to help out if we can,” he said.
Horwath, whose riding name is Jersey John, said the club especially wants to take PTSD patients under its wing.
“There’s a lot of people that suffer from it,” he said, including the group members.
Horwath’s wife, Lynne Horwath, helped bring the donations to the hospital.
“It’s a wonderful club,” she said. “It’s therapy for them, too. It just makes their heart smile because when you’re battling PTSD, your heart doesn’t get to smile that often. It just calms their turmoil."
“We’re happy to help out if we can,” he said.
Horwath, whose riding name is Jersey John, said the club especially wants to take PTSD patients under its wing.
“There’s a lot of people that suffer from it,” he said, including the group members.
Horwath’s wife, Lynne Horwath, helped bring the donations to the hospital.
“It’s a wonderful club,” she said. “It’s therapy for them, too. It just makes their heart smile because when you’re battling PTSD, your heart doesn’t get to smile that often. It just calms their turmoil."
Before they left the hospital, the club members took a tour of the inpatient PTSD unit.
Walters was surprised at the number of ribbons on the wall, one for each person who had been through the 28-day program. He said it was moving and made him a little angry that such a program is necessary, but he believes the situation for veterans is improving.
The club hopes to start a separate group in Southern Oregon, and Horwath hopes its work will encourage other people to make donations.
• You can reach reporter Teresa Williams at 957-4230 or via e-mail at twilliams@newsreview.info.
Walters was surprised at the number of ribbons on the wall, one for each person who had been through the 28-day program. He said it was moving and made him a little angry that such a program is necessary, but he believes the situation for veterans is improving.
The club hopes to start a separate group in Southern Oregon, and Horwath hopes its work will encourage other people to make donations.
• You can reach reporter Teresa Williams at 957-4230 or via e-mail at twilliams@newsreview.info.
On the Web
The In Country Vets Motorcycle Club was founded in Illinois in 1994. It is a tax-exempt, nonprofit organization and has members all over the United States, as well as a chapter in Germany. All members served in combat in Vietnam.
Information: www.icvmc.com |
