BROWNTOWN - On Tuesday afternoon, bags of clothing, couches, furniture and a number of cardboard boxes lined VFW Auxiliary 2312 president Vicki Haffele's garage as she and other members of the auxiliary and post awaited their visitors in rural Browntown.
As a truck pulled up with the words "Veterans Outreach of Wisconsin" and "Serving Those Who Served" displayed proudly on each side, Haffele threw her hands up in celebration as she stood in the doorway, announcing to the other five members of her group that it had arrived.
Its arrival signaled time for work. The group gathered there to load everything onto the truck. The collection existed because of work by three Monroe auxiliary members. Haffele, aided by Tasha Smith, treasurer and secretary, and Cheryl Staver, junior vice president and trustee, worked to procure things that would have otherwise been given to thrift stores or tossed in dumpsters. They were then donated to veterans in need.
"Our community has really come together," Haffele said, adding that nearly all of the items she collected were from residents of Green County.
Veterans Outreach of Wisconsin was introduced to Haffele in January, when she attended a gathering of each VFW auxiliary in the district; nine total. She explained that once she learned of the organization, she challenged each district to gather items for the group by May. When she made the trip to Racine, where the organization is based, she was aided by two other pickup drivers.
After the two-hour voyage, Haffele said a quick visit on social media made her realize the full potential of giving to homeless and in-need veterans and their families.
"I just put a thing out there on all of these buy, swap and sells, and it's been going strong since," Haffele said.
Veterans Outreach of Wisconsin serves the James A Peterson Veteran Village, which holds 15 tiny homes surrounding a community center that caters to veterans who need housing assistance. The area features shared living facilities, including bathrooms, laundry facilities, showers, a full kitchen and recreational areas. Donations orchestrated by Haffele will aid those who live there.
"I was very surprised when (Haffele) first put this out there, with the amount of people who were contacting to drop stuff off," Smith said.
The outreach center also serves families, which prompted the group to gather clothes of all kinds, household items and toys for children.
"It's overwhelming," Staver said. "You hear so much bad out there that's going on in the world and things happening, but this, there are true people out there coming together. It's amazing."
While Haffele serves as auxiliary president, her husband, Bill, took over as VFW Post 2312 commander this year. Former commander Jeff Perkins, who now serves as chaplain, was also present to help load boxes, along with Vietnam veteran Greg Schmitz. Even Tasha's son, 9-year-old Caydyn Smith, was eager to chip in.
"I'm very proud of her for taking on this project," Bill Haffele said about his wife. "She's worked her butt off."
Schmitz said from the point of view of a veteran, the support for these people was especially positive.
"I feel wonderful about it," Schmitz said. "It's nice to see the country's finally behind our guys."
As a truck pulled up with the words "Veterans Outreach of Wisconsin" and "Serving Those Who Served" displayed proudly on each side, Haffele threw her hands up in celebration as she stood in the doorway, announcing to the other five members of her group that it had arrived.
Its arrival signaled time for work. The group gathered there to load everything onto the truck. The collection existed because of work by three Monroe auxiliary members. Haffele, aided by Tasha Smith, treasurer and secretary, and Cheryl Staver, junior vice president and trustee, worked to procure things that would have otherwise been given to thrift stores or tossed in dumpsters. They were then donated to veterans in need.
"Our community has really come together," Haffele said, adding that nearly all of the items she collected were from residents of Green County.
Veterans Outreach of Wisconsin was introduced to Haffele in January, when she attended a gathering of each VFW auxiliary in the district; nine total. She explained that once she learned of the organization, she challenged each district to gather items for the group by May. When she made the trip to Racine, where the organization is based, she was aided by two other pickup drivers.
After the two-hour voyage, Haffele said a quick visit on social media made her realize the full potential of giving to homeless and in-need veterans and their families.
"I just put a thing out there on all of these buy, swap and sells, and it's been going strong since," Haffele said.
Veterans Outreach of Wisconsin serves the James A Peterson Veteran Village, which holds 15 tiny homes surrounding a community center that caters to veterans who need housing assistance. The area features shared living facilities, including bathrooms, laundry facilities, showers, a full kitchen and recreational areas. Donations orchestrated by Haffele will aid those who live there.
"I was very surprised when (Haffele) first put this out there, with the amount of people who were contacting to drop stuff off," Smith said.
The outreach center also serves families, which prompted the group to gather clothes of all kinds, household items and toys for children.
"It's overwhelming," Staver said. "You hear so much bad out there that's going on in the world and things happening, but this, there are true people out there coming together. It's amazing."
While Haffele serves as auxiliary president, her husband, Bill, took over as VFW Post 2312 commander this year. Former commander Jeff Perkins, who now serves as chaplain, was also present to help load boxes, along with Vietnam veteran Greg Schmitz. Even Tasha's son, 9-year-old Caydyn Smith, was eager to chip in.
"I'm very proud of her for taking on this project," Bill Haffele said about his wife. "She's worked her butt off."
Schmitz said from the point of view of a veteran, the support for these people was especially positive.
"I feel wonderful about it," Schmitz said. "It's nice to see the country's finally behind our guys."