When some members of Kreutz Creek Valley VFW Post 7045 started brainstorming ideas to raise money for the community, they had no idea how successful they'd be. "Our goal was to raise $3,000," said committee chair Jolene Kirsch. "We ended up more than doubling that. I think that's pretty good for our first try." The committee presented a check for $6,673 to Mission 22, an organization that supports veterans, at the club in Hallam on Nov. 30.

Kirsch explained that the committee got together earlier this year to discuss fundraising events. The club's bartender, Lisa Price, suggested raising money for Mission 22. The organization's goal is to provide mental health resources and support for veterans and their families. To raise the funds, the VFW held a Halloween costume party that included an auction of items donated by local businesses and organizations.

At the check presentation, Mission 22 ambassador Summer Hernandez spoke about the organization. "We want our veterans to know it's OK to not be OK," she said. "Reach out to us. Let us help you help your mind, body and soul." She talked about Mission 22's presence in all 50 states as well as overseas and noted that programs through the organization include providing service animals to vets in need. "We cover all of the costs, and we help the vets learn how to work with the animals," Hernandez remarked. "It can cost more than $30,000 for a service animal, and we pay for that. Everything we do is free of charge for the vets."

She explained that the organization's name comes from a grim statistic: Twenty-two veterans die by suicide every day. "I want vets to know we are here to help," said Hernandez, who has a son on active duty and a son in the Junior ROTC program. "Our goal is to keep vets alive and healthy and with their families. They gave up their mind, body and soul to give us the freedoms we have today."

After Hernandez spoke at the check presentation, Michele Jamison sang "Proud to Be an American," accompanied by the voices of club members throughout the room, and club manager Jerry Neff presented the check to Hernandez.

"It's important for us as a club to give back to our local community and to help our veterans," said Neff, a retired Air Force veteran who served in Vietnam.

Kirsch said the committee was so happy with the results of the first fundraiser, the members are already busy planning the next. "We've having a spaghetti dinner in February, with proceeds going to Gold Star Mothers," she said. "We also want to do an outdoor movie night this summer. We want to do events like this because it's important to our members. We want to do things for our vets, because without them, we're nothing."

For more information on Mission 22, visit https://mission22.com/.