Feeding the veterans… Local VFW post teams up with Second Harvest Food Bank
Published 4:22 pm Friday, April 17, 2020
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Star Photo/Ivan Sanders
A worker with Second Harvest Food Bank puts bags out on a table to be distributed.
Star Photo/Ivan Sanders
A volunteer from the Elizabethton VFW prepares to place food items in a car for a waiting veteran.
Star Photo/Ivan Sanders
Post Commander Andy Wetzel waits to send a couple more cars through the line to receive their food.
Star Photo/Ivan Sanders
It was all hands on deck at the Elizabethton Veterans Of Foreign War on Elk Avenue as the VFW post partnered with the Second Harvest Food Bank to provide food to veterans who had signed up at the Veterans Office in Elizabethton.
Star Photo/Ivan Sanders
Carter County Mayor Rusty Barnett helped out with the food distribution as he bagged fresh oranges to be distributed.
Star Photo/Ivan Sanders
Carter County Register of Deeds Jarrod Ellis carried two bags of potatos and two gallons of milk to an awaiting car.
Star Photo/Ivan Sanders
Volunteers prepare to hand food to the many veterans who had signed up for food distribution.
BY IVAN SANDERS
STAR STAFF
ivan.sanders@elizabethton.com
It was a very busy but rewarding day on Friday at the Elizabethton Veterans of Foreign War post on Elk Avenue as a group of VFW volunteers teamed up with the Second Harvest Food Bank to make sure local veterans had something in their pantry to help them through the trying days with the recent COVID-19 pandemic.
Post Commander Andy Wetzel said the plan had been in place since last year but it wasn’t until last month that the fruits of their labor came together.
“This was Auxillary President Lynna Weston’s idea and we were in the process of doing this last year when it kind of fell through due to a change at the Second Harvest Food Bank,” Wetzel said. “We partnered up with them this spring and last month we had a good turnout.
“We are expecting an even bigger turnout this month with about 60 people signed up.”
Wetzel said that any veteran could participate in the food distribution by simply calling the Elizabethton Veterans Office and speak to David Batchelder who is also a member of the post.
Each volunteer was decked out in gloves and masks as part of the social distancing plan in place as the veterans pulled up to the tables and the food was placed in their vehicle without them having to get out.
Veterans received bread, eggs, cheese, bananas, potatoes, a gallon of milk, and fresh fruit in their packages.
“We want to feed our veterans especially with everything going on,” Wetzel said.
The plans are for the food distribution to continue. Wetzel added that there isn’t a set day as Second Harvest Food Bank contacts him when they have an opening.
Distribution will start around 2 pm in the afternoon at the VFW Post on the day that will be set aside.
