AREA VETS OFFERED A HELPING HAND

A variety of organizations joined forces Saturday to give information, ham sandwiches and a helping hand to veterans in the region.

"There are a lot of programs out there that veterans don't know are available," said Jeff Colyer, coordinator for the veteran's stand down at Cape Girardeau's Naval Reserve Center.

A stand down is usually an outreach to homeless veterans in urban areas, said Colyer, who has participated in stand downs in Collinsville, Ill., for the past six years. This was the first stand down for Southeast Missouri.

One-hundred and fifty veterans came to the Reserve Center to talk with representatives from the Social Security Administration, the Southeast Missouri Job Service and others.

"We see what we're doing here more as outreach to veterans of retirement age, who are disabled or those out of work," Colyer said.

Steve Gannon of Olive Branch, Ill., came to the stand down for information on a Veteran's Administration home loan. He said he really didn't need to talk to anyone yet, but he wanted to get the information to decide how he might be able to build a new house.

Veterans also got haircuts, meals and old military clothes in good condition. Gannon was given one of the black plastic bags sitting on a sidewalk in front of the Reserve Center with an old uniform and parka after he gave his measurements.

Information update

Steve Hillis of the Veteran's Administration in Poplar Bluff, Mo., said he was able to speak to five veterans who were not aware of changes in their medical benefits.

"It's not a large number, but this is changing the quality of life for someone," he said.

Many veterans don't know that adult diabetes was added to the list of illnesses that may be treated at no cost at veterans hospitals, Hillis said. Some don't understand that they may receive both outpatient and hospital care. He noted that veteran's clinics operating five days a week are in Cape Girardeau and Perryville, Mo.

He estimates that about 12,000 veterans live in Southeast Missouri.

A stand down is most valuable to veterans who served between wars, said Melvin Amelunke, commander of American Legion Post No. 63 in Cape Girardeau.

"These are the ones who can slip through the cracks," he said.