VETERANS SPEND years serving their country, and whether they are in the Army, the Navy, or the Marines, their work is incredibly important.
It is only fitting that their efforts be rewarded after retirement, but transitioning from military to civilian life is not easy, and many fall on hard times. Fortunately for those in Bowling Green, the Kentucky Veterans Brigade (KVB) is eager to help.
KVB “unites civilian patriots with local veterans to bring honor, stability, and support to those veterans who are in need.” As a veteran himself, founder Bob “Gunny” Wilson felt that the transition system for veterans could be better, and the organizations he volunteered with didn’t help the individual as much as he wanted. To solve that issue, Wilson and co-founder Tim Allen formed KVB.
“We both felt the same thing — this organization wants to do big things, and I’m sure they’re going to someday, but they don’t help the veteran on the street,” Wilson said. “We decided, well, it must be our job.”
It started small. KVB began with only $5,000, giving transportation and food to veterans who needed it. Then, the local VA heard about the group and asked KVB to take over managing its clothing closet, and things began to snowball. As a charity, KVB could take donations that the VA could not, so more and more people were introduced to the work. Now, seven years later, the program works with over $150,000 a year. All of it is used to support the veterans in the community, whether it be through the clothing closet, temporary housing, or financial assistance.
housing, or financial assistance.
“We have 20-something volunteers who rotate the three days that we’re open, which are Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday,” Wilson said. Nobody there gets paid; everybody’s there on a volunteer basis.”
Every volunteer at KVB has some connection to the military. Many are veterans. Like Wilson, they have not stopped helping others, even in retirement.
“I’ve served my country for quite some time — I’m done — but I’m not done serving my community,” Wilson said.
The VA is not the only veteran organization KVB works with. The American Legion and Veterans of Foreign Wars often partner with the group, as do some other veteran service organizations. While it can be hard to work with other nonprofits sometimes, Wilson said, Bowling Green is very supportive overall. Each organization has a different focus, and tries to send veterans to the entity that will best assist them. Sometimes, that will be a veteran organization, and sometimes, a civilian one.
KVB’s temporary housing is an example of this. The VA can help veterans find a home, but that can be a long process, and they may still be homeless in the meantime. Now, the brigade gives them a place to stay while they find something permanent.
“We here in Bowling Green really do work together as a small community helping the veterans,” Wilson said.
Wilson said the individuals and businesses in the community do well in donating clothing, food, and supplies and keeping up with KVB’s weekly needs list. Some of those donations go to homeless people and veterans, and KVB has served as a donation and distribution center during large storms.
As with all nonprofits, however, the brigade could always use more general, unrestricted funds. Those funds help the individual needs that come up in the community. One of KVB’s big goals is to have its own property and building, allowing it to use more of its funding for community purposes instead of just renting for its location. That process is difficult not only because of the cost but also because of KVB’s location.
“We’re on the same sidewalk as the local VA, so a lot of our clients or customers [will] come from the VA and see us before their appointments or vice versa,” Wilson said. “We don’t want to be so far away that people stop doing that, so we’re kind of restricted in the area that we need to be in.”
Being available and capable of assisting veterans is incredibly important for the Kentucky Veterans Brigade and Bowling Green. After all, those are the members of the community who dedicated their lives to serving their country — and who will continue to do so if given the opportunity. If they use KVB’s assistance to better themselves and their families, they will ultimately better Bowling Green. GN
