Veterans Help Net turns 3

Veterans Help Net turns 3 this month

By Don Walker

VETERANS HELP NET

Over the past three years, so many people have contributed their efforts and skills to help Veterans Help Net try to accomplish our mission of providing information and direction to area veterans and their families through our two monthly publications, Veterans Chronicle and The Veterans Press.

These folks have given parts of their hearts and souls trying to have an impact ... trying to make a difference ... trying to give “hope and help” to our veterans, their families, and friends.

During that time, we’ve searched for people, organizations and stories that will mean something to our veterans that need help. We’ve tried to help them find a path to reduce their pain and give them some hope for living a better and healthier life, a better life they earned with their service and sacrifices.

We’ve always wondered if anyone was listening ... if anyone was reading our stories.

Were both publications delivering the “Hope and Help” that many veterans and their families desperately needed? Are the articles and stories that we presented in our publications and social media really making a difference?

We didn’t need to measure results to push us forward ... we believed our messages and stories were important and impacting. We believed if we helped one veteran or one family find hope and help, then our mission was a success.

Recently we received a message from Bret Bowers, the Public Affairs Officer at Spokane’s VA Hospital (Mann-Grandstaff Veterans Administration Medical Center). He requested some extra copies of our recent Veterans Chronicle and concluded his request with “Our Enrollment Team is getting flooded with calls over some of the articles within the latest insert.”

Even though we did not need anyone to tell us we’ve done some good, it was always wonderful to hear that it was working.

Thank you, Bret, for the input and comments, and thank you for all the articles and stories you have provided over the first three years.

Many people and organizations deserve thanks for helping us over the last three years. Today, I would to single out a few that don’t normally get mentioned.

But first, let me send some thank-yous and credos to our incredible teams at the two newspapers that we help produce their veteran sections..

Veterans Chronicle, which is provided and presented the third Friday in The Spokesman-Review.

Joe Butler, Niche and Online Content Coordinator for the Marketing Department, saw the value in our idea and helped lead the team to where we are now.

Scott Baumbach, Classified Advertising Manager, was the first person we talked to when we presented the idea of a Veterans Chronicle, and he introduced the idea to the rest of the team. He’s also championed the development of the publication and expanded its scope, reach, and format.

Theresa Tanner, Marketing Writer, helped us make the Veterans Chronicle into a professional and quality publication by editing our articles and helping us put order into our chaos.

Anne Potter, Advertising/Marketing Graphic Designer, helped us put color, style and format into our publication and made the section – and all of us -- look great.

Our deepest thanks for your support, insight, and creativity to help us start and continue this worthy effort.

I also want to thank the team at the Coeur d’Alene and Post Falls Press for The Veterans Press, which is published the third Tuesday of each month.

Mike Patrick, managing editor, said yes before we even finished our exploration and presented our program. He got it right way, and has been there every step of the way in developing and expanding the form and format.

Other team members include Steve Hanson, Kari Packer, Brenda Hanson and Angie High. Thanks for putting shape, color and form into the publication and help sell the idea and goodness of it to advertisers.

Our deepest thanks to the North Idaho team for its support, insight, and creativity to help us start and continue this worthy effort.

Both newspaper teams are committed and dedicated to monthly helping Veterans Help Net put together an interesting, impacting and important veteran’s section for the community they serve. They tell our veterans stories, recognize the important work that individuals and organization do for veterans in their communities, and help find a path for “Hope and Help” for our veterans and their families.

Thanks also must be given to our readers and story contributors, especially our overworked volunteer correspondents and writers. You may have seen their bylines on many articles and stories, and next month we’ll tell you more about who they are and how and why they joined our team.

“We know you put your hearts and souls into your work, and we are honored to have you on our team, sharing your insight and skills.”

Three years gone … but not forgotten, and we hope many more as Veterans Help Net tries to show

Veterans and their families a “Path to Hope and Help”

Thank you and keep the stories coming … They are making a difference!

Sincerely, Veterans Help Net Team