COVID19 message from Veterans’ Outreach President

 

My Brothers and Sisters Across America and Our World We Need Each Other Like Never Before

COVID-19, as you know, is paralyzing our country and most other nations.  We are all trying to wrap our heads around what is happening in this new existence that we all find ourselves in. You have heard now, 100 times, “We are in this together! I am with you!” Well, is that comforting? That’s like one Titanic traveler saying that to another?

My wife Teri and I are blessed with three dynamic children, two sons and a daughter. Now, through their marriages, we are blessed with five wonderful grandchildren. We need to concern ourselves with that generation’s future and wellbeing! We have a big responsibility to that troupe of humanity that looks up to us with precious love and unparalleled TRUST!

Our children have different takes on this PANDEMIC.  We all live in different states and have totally different jobs and lifestyles. Our oldest is a brilliant athlete and educator.  He calls us frequently and lovingly asks us how we are both doing? Then we get chastised for leaving our home and mixing with the infected masses. He barks at us in a scolding manner, “Stay in doors away from the public!” Then we get a full set of survival instructions on how we best can beat this Pandemic.…both of us are in our 60’s!  We look at it that he is our SENTRY!

Our other son, a Captain in the Army National Guard, back from Afghanistan, is cool and not ruffled much at all. The most laid back of our three. He is, though concerned for us! Living in SC, he doesn’t see the panic like what is happening in other states, or hot-spot regions. Our Captain has seen carnage in a War Zone, that, hopefully, we will never see. His reaction to COVID-19 is just another bump in the road.  He believes that we should isolate the most vulnerable and let the rest of society work and keep the engines churning to take care of those that can’t. 

Our daughter is in agreement with her brother.  She is an Executive Director of an Animal shelter.  She is mostly worried with placing her animals into their new homes…and that activity, for now, has crawled to a standstill! Her shelter holds up to 450 animals!!! So with contributions stalled and the animals needing to be cared for, along with her young family, she can’t wait till the horn blows… that it is OK! She has a lot on her plate to over analyze her Country’s shut down and runaway carnage. She is strong and smart and will get it handled!

My wife and I are involved, very heavily, with Veterans’ Outreach for 26 years, now. The charity has helped veterans over 100,000 times. Offices and operations are in Ohio, Florida, West Virginia, Alabama, Kentucky, and New York. We are a PLATINUM Rated Charity with Guidestar, and an essential business, so we have stayed open, till Apr.1st! We had been taking everyone’s temp, disinfect where they sat or touched, and practiced social distancing before they are allowed into any of our offices.

In a typical week, we help more than 120 veterans with financial assistance and for their most immediate needs, food insecurity, clothing, and personal items. Unfortunately, all of our fund raising has stopped and the events have been cancelled. Hopefully May 1st is when we are hoping to be able to start helping our vets again. Unless, we have some patriots come forward.

I am confident that my story mirrors many other families and businesses, both for profit and non-profit. We need to network and be more supportive with each other.

Now, do I have an answer for all of you?  Yeah…you can start praying that our leaders will find the way to restore normalcy soon!  Let’s protect our seniors and at risk citizens and ask them to self-isolate, and start reopening shut down businesses that are in their death throes.  Three more weeks and many will close forever!  Didn’t anyone think this through in the beginning?  Hot spots are where the isolation needs to be highest priority.

Our young people should step in to safeguard our elders, as their guardians. A few are imposing peril with some of their nonchalant or daring approach towards this scourge.  Some believe that they are invincible…I was there, once! There is plenty of time to party and celebrate later!   Let’s see if we can find a hero or two in that group!

The Epidemiologists have the first say. While fighting this difficult condition, does the economy have to be on life support?  Can’t we handle both at the same time?  Where are the Economists?  We can only hold our breath for a little while longer.

Our President has the massive burden of a life and death dilemma.  It is just mind numbing, he truly is walking a path that has never been trodden. I have never seen anything like this in my lifetime. The President is only HUMAN, albeit a bold one!  It is reassuring though, that the parties are somewhat coming together to fight this Pandemic. 

After those reflections and thoughts, do the needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few?  Our Lord teaches that he will leave ninety-nine sheep to rescue one. Those statements contradict each other…but the answer is to protect and care for those that need it, and let the rest of the country get back to work.

Dismantling our society, our dynamic machine of the world’s envied prosperity is a grave mistake. Time will only tell of the ravage and long term damage that could occur.  We need to heed some common sense with looking at each part of our country so as not to cut off the oxygen to all.  If 1 million people are infected that means over 324 million are not.   There has to be a way of allowing our country to function and tenderly care for the sick at the same time.

Furthermore, we need to contact our local representatives, when they drag their feet, they need to hear from us. Plead with them that we need action now!  We are their boss and we need to tell them what to do and light a fire where they sit! Call them once and twice, even, every day when they lose their way or the POINT or why they are there. Get them to make good use of their time to resuscitate AMERICA!

Brothers and Sisters, we need to keep the faith and pray for our leaders, our neighbors, our country, and our world.  Please continue to stay safe, wash your hands, and maintain your distance.  Be smart, but not fretful.

It is not too late to keep this train from flying off the cliff.