Goodwill’s Volunteer Service Guild Honors Veterans at Annual Luncheon!
Goodwill Service Guild Volunteers and Hostesses
Annually, Ohio Valley Goodwill’s Volunteer Service Guild hosts a special Veterans Day luncheon event to honor our military heroes. Held at the organization’s headquarters, the festive event is an opportunity to formally thank our military men and women for their service to our country.
Sue Burreson, Guild President
The program for the luncheon started with a personal story and prayer from Devotions chair, Marla Banks. Many of her family members are veterans and she has a nephew currently serving so she noted appreciating veterans is personal for her. She closed her remarks with a heartfelt prayer of gratitude for all current and past veterans. Veterans Grants Director, Charlie Blythe, offered his personal thanks to all of the veterans in attendance, many of whom are part of his staff team. Finally, Michael Flannery, Public Information Officer, added his own story of how the Goodwill program directly impacts lives by recounting his interaction with a previously homeless veteran who now has a permanent home address. Sue Burreson, Guild President, noted that the tradition of the Veterans Luncheon started about 10 years ago as the result of a hope by past member Jane Kreps, who wanted to honor the veterans served by the organization and suggested the idea for the annual Veterans Day Luncheon.
As always, today’s Veterans luncheon event was truly memorable not only for the Veterans in attendance but also, because of the celebration of human triumph. As part of its mission of helping people with disabilities and our nation’s veterans to get jobs, Goodwill proudly offers employment, skill training, housing and case management assistance to thousands of veterans as they successfully re-integrate into the local community.
In the Greater Cincinnati area, Ohio Valley Goodwill has helped thousands of veterans, build their civilian careers. Locally, last year, Ohio Valley Goodwill almost 900 veterans and their families. Since the early 1990″²s, the organization has helped more than 8000 veterans to receive assistance with transitional and permanent housing, skill training, job placement assistance as well as case management support.
On this Veterans Day and every day, Ohio Valley Goodwill salutes our military heroes; our nation’s veterans. Our most sincere thanks to the Goodwill Service Guild volunteers on their sponsorship and hosting of this year’s Veterans Day luncheon in honor of our military Veterans.
Goodwill Veterans Services Team
