Every month, owner Kerry Collins donates funds raised from sales at the U.S. Vets Thrift Store to local veterans service organizations. The local Combat Veterans Motorcycle Association was especially grateful for the funds they received from the store last week.
The organization typically uses funds to help veterans with home projects, like build ramps. At the moment, the have two major home projects they working to complete, which are taking up most of the funding they have.
“That’s our entire purpose, our sole purpose, to help veterans,” commander Jose Barriero said. “These are big projects for us. … We really need to help these families out.”
One project is cleaning and rebuilding a house in Andrews, while the other is cleaning a house that was destroyed by fire in Hiwassee Dam. It helps that one CVMA member, Marc Narkawicz, is a contractor, and Wilson Building Supply in Murphy has generously donated some supplies.
The veteran’s home in Andrews has also been broken into multiple times. The group is working to clean up the property and rebuild the house so it’s harder to break into.
In Hiwassee Dam, veteran Joshua Allen and his family stayed warm with a blaze in the fireplace one cold night. By morning, a fire built in the chimney, burning down half the house before Allen and the fire department could put it out. A few days later, Barriero and his wife arrived offering help from the CVMA.
“It was such a relief to know we have some help coming,” Allen said. “It’s an amazing feeling not to be forgotten. We all as veterans have sacrificed so much while in uniform.
“In the field, we never leave a fallen comrade. It’s a great feeling to know that out of uniform and fallen, that our brother and sister veterans are still there to pick you up.”
Allen said he did not reach out for help; the organization found out about the family through the school system, as they have a school-age child.
“This family’s hurting,” Barriero said.
The Allen family plans to rebuild as soon as possible. They are staying in a rental house nearby in the meantime. The CVMA is working to clean up the remains of the house and prepare it for rebuilding.
Combat Veterans Motorcycle Association Chapter 15-8 is always open to donations. For details, call 828-276-3471, email cvmanc15.8@gmail.com, visit cvmanc15-8.vet or follow the group on Facebook.