First off: to all veterans out there: Thank you for your service to the country. We appreciate you.

In the past six months, Home With Heroes Foundation Inc. has been on the fast track. We received our IRS 501(c)(3) designation in March, and immediately scheduled the Robert “Bob” Mims Miss-Lou Patriotic Golf Tournament in June. It was a great success, and gives us financial “seed” money to plan programs and activities. We had Mr. Mims there in person greeting golfers and earning a well-deserved salute. Baseball player Nook Logan stopped by as well to thank players and meet Mr. Mims.

We have set the first Jesse “Jess” Hash Memorial Miss-Lou Patriotic Bowling Tournament in memory of a Vietnam veteran, superb bowler and absolute gentleman. Jess was the proprietor of Rivergate Bowl, where the event will be held. Call me if you wish to sign up as a sponsor, bowler, or team. The event will be Sunday, Nov. 2, beginning at 2 p.m. It’s for any bowler, amateur to pro. Registration forms are available at Rivergate Bowl, Mims Jewelers, Dianne’s Frame Shop and Reed Insurance.

This is a way to report to the community what we are doing. We’ve scheduled our first Redneck Renewal Retreat for Veterans, one of our key missions. The retreat will be in October at locations in Concordia and Catahoula parishes and Adams County. We will be hosting approximately 10 veterans who served our country. Now, it’s our time to serve them free of charge. We’re in need of local community groups to help provide breakfasts and a lunch. Please call if you can. Groups may sponsor a veteran as well with a financial contribution.

Our first Miss-Lou Honor Ride is scheduled for Saturday, Nov. 15. This is a special day-long excursion to the outstanding National World War II Museum in New Orleans free to World War II veterans. Again, material will be available at various locations in the Miss-Lou with all the information and costs to non-World War II veterans.

In regard to World War II veterans, we are seeking them to interview for the Mississippi World War II Veteran History Project. So, please call or email if you know of a veteran.

We will be installing bins at various locations in the Miss-Lou where individuals can deposit their worn, torn, used American flags for retiring in a proper ceremony each November. Those bins are at: Adams County Circuit Clerk’s Office, Copiah-Lincoln Community College, Rivergate Bowl, Vidalia City Hall, and Reed Insurance. We’ll let the public know when and where the retirement ceremony will be held.

We have developed a Home With Heroes Support Team to assist in the many programs and activities. If you wish to be a teammate, please call or send and email to homewithheroes@live.com.

We have partnered with Operation G.R.I.T.S. (Gifts Raised in the South) for Soldiers and will be hosting Boxing Days” for our men and women serving overseas. If you can host a Boxing Days, please call or email. Soon, we will be announcing a Home With Heroes-led effort to honor forgotten Wilson Brown, the only Medal of Honor Winner in the Natchez National Cemetery. And, even more activities will be announced soon.

Please keep watch on our Facebook Page: Home With Heroes or web: homewithheroes.org

We welcome your donations and support. Please call me at 60-442-0980 or write: homewithheroes@live.com

And as always, please pray for our veterans and their loved ones.

 

G. Mark LaFrancis, a veteran, is president of the non-profit Home With Heroes Foundation Inc.