With sub-zero temperatures and snowstorm after snowstorm, this polar vortex-fueled winter has been a rough one for much of the country. But especially for those who can’t afford to heat their homes.
The frosty situation of a 92-year-old Pembine, Wisconsin resident who was a World War II veteran was especially dire. When the Fox Valley Veterans Council learned of that the vet who served in Iwo Jima was in danger of running out of the propane he uses to heat his home, they took immediate action. Iraq veteran Sandra Meyer, who works with Fox Valley Veterans Council, told Jim Collar of PostCresent.com that the man didn’t want to leave his home. “He wouldn’t have had propane to last him through the night. He knew very well if he left his home, he wouldn’t have a home to come back to.”
The Fox Valley Veterans Council maintains an emergency fund to assist veterans in dire need, such as those who can’t pay for their rent. When Meyer told the others on the council about the World War II vet’s plight, they considered seeking federal assistance for him. Their resources have been so tapped this year that they’ve had to turn away a few vets seeking money to fix burst frozen pipes. But the council worried the elderly man would freeze to death while they waited for the paperwork to be processed, so the members voted in favor of using funds to buy propane.
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In less than a day, they secured the fuel and delivered it to the vet — despite the fact that the propane ended up costing more than they expected. To make up the difference, individual veterans contributed out of their own pockets. “There was no way to say no,” Council President Jim Strong told Collar. “It was duty driven by love.”
If you’re looking to help someone, consider donating to The Fox Valley Veterans Council, which needs help refilling its coffers so it can provide assistance the next time a veteran is left in the cold.
MORE: An 87-Year-Old World War II Vet Made A Promise at 19 to Help Someone Every Day