On Saturday, June 16th, the Gallatin County Fairgrounds will be host to Bozeman’s 3rd Annual Veteran Stand Down. This one day event is a result of a massive effort of volunteers and donors, all working together to put some valuable resources in the hands of some of the people that need it most.

The Gallatin Valley has an estimated population of 150-200 homeless veterans. This is a rough estimate by people in the know about such things, though everyone I spoke to on the issue knows that number has to be somewhat skewed. A lot of folks in need, not just veterans, who find themselves homeless are embarrassed to report the truth of the situation.

That’s 150 to 200 service men and women that live and work in our community, and yet have no good place to rest their heads tonight. This shows that there is a real need in Bozeman amongst some of our veterans.

The Veteran Stand Down in Bozeman was started in 2010, by Gary Welsand and George Morales, to answer that need. Working with military surplus supplies from the Department of Defense, and a small army of local volunteers and
donors, the first Bozeman Veteran Stand Down drew a crowd of about 800 people, including veterans and their families. The organizers considered it a success, and got together another Stand Down in 2011, this time drawing a crowd of about 1,000.

The Veteran Stand Down in Bozeman is open to the public all day long, but the supplies and services are reserved primarily for homeless veterans, veterans, and their families. Towards the end of the day, the organizers open the event up to anybody, civilian or military, that might just need a little bit of some of the help available.   Any veteran coming out to the Stand Down will need to bring a copy of their DD214, their military ID, or their VA card.
This year’s Stand Down will offer a range of free services to veterans, including haircuts, lunch, blood pressure testing, counseling referrals, and benefits information. Also, free supplies will be handed out to those in need including military surplus, boots, clothing, sleeping bags, and blankets.

In addition to the services and resources offered, this year’s event will have a raffle, with the cost of tickets helping to pay for the event. Raffle tickets are $5, or five tickets for $20, prizes include a hand-carved white cedar flute crafted by a local artisan, a sleek 1940 Winchester 22 short rifle, as well as a host of other prizes.

After spending a little time with the organizers of this event, it seems to me to be a “boots with no socks” situation. These men and women, most of whom have already served their country and made sacrifices far beyond my understanding, are out there working hard to organize this event, raise money, and make the world a better place.

This is where you come in. You’ve got a real chance to make a real difference in a veteran’s life. A hero is a man or woman who gives greatly, maybe everything, whether or not they’re ready to make that sacrifice. These veterans made those sacrifices; they stood for you when you couldn’t stand for yourself. Now, it’s your turn. Please, come out to Bozeman’s 3rd Annual Veteran Stand Down. Volunteer your time. Buy a raffle ticket. Donate your money. Be a hero, for a hero.

The Veteran Stand Down is a great opportunity to get out in the community and participate in a little fellowship, contribute to a great cause, and rub elbows with some of the greatest heroes in our community.

The Stuff of Heroes

• To purchase a giant stack of raffle tickets, contact either Jim Korth @ (406)-582-9224, or Rick Gale @ (406)-599-4792.   Raffle tickets are $5, or you can get 5 tickets for $20.

• To volunteer your time, contact Gary Welsand @ (406)-587-7037.
• Please send donations to:
Vietnam Veterans of America
Southwest Montana Chapter 788
P.O. Box 7226
Bozeman, MT 59771

William Bishop is a freelance writer relatively new to Bozeman, after moving here last November from a small town in Southern Virginia. He has never been happier, and would like to say thanks to the people of Bozeman for being so kind.