Veterans are truly heroes

To the editor:

I wanted to take a moment and remind our citizens of the local heroes in our community.

I am a Navy veteran. I have a family of four. Due to corporate downsizinq, my family and I found ourselves going from a two-income household to a one-income household at the end of December. We were behind about $700 on some of our bills, and there was no way to make up this difference.

I was referred to the First Call for Help line. I answered a few questions, and the representative advised me that I was lucky. Because I was a veteran I might find some help with the local VFW Post 3838. To make a long story short, this all occurred on a Friday. By the following Monday, these gentlemen had agreed to help us with the entire $700.

Calling the men and women heroes is well-founded. They placed their lives on the line when their country needed them. Now when a local veteran needed their assistance, they were there for my family.

Next time you see them doing a fund-raiser, remember that some of that money will go to local families who might need their help. Let us remember our veterans for the heroes they are.

SHERRY MATTINGLY

Cape Girardeau