COPPERAS COVE Members and visitors packed the Star Group-Veterans Helping Veterans building Saturday to find out about upcoming events and listen to some key speakers who intend to bring an extra punch to what the nonprofit veterans organization can do.
John Footman, former state commander of the Purple Heart Association of Texas, spoke about the upcoming 13th annual Military Order of the Purple Heart Ball on Feb. 28 at Fort Hoods Club Hood. Footman said the group also will bring the Texas Fallen Heroes Memorial Wall Display, commonly referred to as the Purple Heart Wall, to the Star Group annual picnic June 27 in Cove.
There are 580 names on the Purple Heart Wall. Ten of them are women, and one of those women is from Copperas Cove, Footman said.
The goal for the ball was to let Purple Heart recipients and Gold Star families attend for free, Footman said. We have them covered already, through those who bought advertising for our program and donations, but we wanted to thank those here who helped us with those donations. We are hoping for at least 300 people to attend.
One of the newest organizations to partner with Star Group is Heart of Texas Goodwill Industries Inc., whose representatives had Star Group people cheering about services the organization offers.
We provide veterans, transitioning soldiers regardless of branch of service or if they are reserve or National Guard and their families help with short- and long-term goals, preparing budgets, financial planning and job searching at no cost, said Sasha White with Operation Good Jobs, part of Heart of Texas Goodwill Industries.
Her partner in the endeavor to assist Star Group, Shauna Jones from the Killeen Learning Center, added they also can put together professional resumes, whether civilian or government.
We also provide everything they need to get a job, Jones said. If they dont have the right clothes to go on an interview, well get them interview clothes.
Star Group president Jonathan Haywood told members the Mobile Vet Center will set up shop outside the Star Group building from 8 a.m. to noon Feb. 18.
Mobile Vet Centers are designed to cover rural areas where veterans may not be able to get to a Veterans Affairs center, and provide veterans with services such as counseling for post-traumatic stress and military sexual trauma, bereavement counseling, marriage and family counseling and resources like VA benefits information and suicide prevention referrals.
For more information on the Purple Heart Ball, email MOPH1876@yahoo.com or call 254-698-6229.
For information on Star Group-Veterans Helping Veterans, go to www.stargroup-veteranshelpingveterans.org.
