STAR GROUP VETERANS HELPING VETERANS Members at Work to make Christmas bright for area families!
Several of our members, donated the funds to make sure Veterans and area Families would wake up to a Merry Christmas. Some of the families may not have been able to get gifts for their children if not for the support of our SG-VHV Team and area business supporting our effort. We truly appreciate all the confidence we receive from the area businesses as we try to make a difference in the community.
BELOW ARE A FEW OF THE SHOPPING PICTURES Shopping was done at the Copperas Cove Walmart as they are continue financial supporter of our group!
(Picture sources SGVHV Members and the Killen Daily Herald)
Katrina Washington, left, with Star Group-Veterans Helping Veterans, helps Gregory and Kelly Brown with shopping
and loading their purchases in their car during the SGVHV 2013 Christmas Shopping Spree Event, Thursday morning
Dec 19th at Walmart in Copperas Cove.
Denise Davis, right, John Robertson and Jonathan Haywood, all with Star Group-Veterans Helping Veterans,
help Erica Woodfork with shopping and loading her purchases during the SGVHV 2013 Christmas
Shopping Spree Event, Thursday morning Dec 19th at Walmart in Copperas Cove.
ALL SHOPPERS ARE NOT PICTURED OR NOTED BUT WERE JUST AS THANKFUL TO THE GROUP
As we can not mention the stories of all of the families taken on the SG-VHV Shopping Spree, we wanted to highlight just a few
The Myrick family is spending Christmas with two children they did not plan for.
The Myricks recently agreed to serve as guardians for two toddlers, ages 20 months and 4 years, who were put into
foster care system through Child Protective Services. “We just got these two children and no one is helping us with them,”
said William Myrick, 45, of Harker Heights. “Today, we are going to be able to buy them some clothing, a couple of toys, and lots of diapers.”
The Myricks were one of the many families that the Star Group-Veterans Helping Veterans took on a $250 shopping spree
to ensure their needs were met. The families were not allowed to purchase alcohol, tobacco or firearms with the money and
SGVHV kept the receipts so the purchased items could not be exchanged for cash, said Jonathan Haywood, SGVHV President.
“You never have enough money to feed everyone who needs it,” Haywood said. “We gave out 350 Thanksgiving meals.
So, we do things a little differently for Christmas helping families through referrals from different organizations.”
Adrian Atkinson, a SG-VHV Member, has five children. She lost her husband in combat and faced her own challenges this year.
But she chose to sponsor one family’s shopping spree through SGVHV. “I know what its like not having things for my kids at
Christmas,” Atkinson said. “They need this. I have the ability and I believe in paying it forward.”
Kelly Brown, of Killeen, had difficulty walking up to the store entrance but she was smiling. Brown had three major surgeries
this year including a hysterectomy and spinal and shoulder surgery. She has been out of work for a year and is still waiting on
her disability check. She stated “The kids said they wanted to take the (Christmas) tree down because there are no presents to put underneath,”
“I told them that God would provide and to exercise their faith. I’ve had three major surgeries and I could’ve died. But, I made it.”
“I have had to get donations just to pay my electric bill because I just have not had the money,” the three-time breast cancer survivor said.
“But, we are making it work. And we are grateful for the kindness of others.”
Veterans Helping Veterans |