Trending
For over 10 years, Lycoming County Helping Our Warriors (HOW) has financially supported veterans and active military members in Lycoming County. Now, as winter approaches and living expenses rise, the nonprofit is selling $10 tickets for a car raffle on Veteran's Day. Donated by Blaise Alexander Family Dealerships, the 2014 Buick Verano will be awarded during a 2:00 p.m. raffle drawing at VFW Post 7863, located at 150 Shaffer St. in Duboistown.
"If you don't need the car, then we know of someone who is disabled and in need of a car to get to hospitals and doctor's appointments," said Patty Cohick, founder and president of HOW.
Money raised from the car raffle will help those with financial crises.
"It is going to veterans and active military in Lycoming County to help with leaky roofs, furnaces that need to be repaired, late bills for (utilities]) and we have paid medical bills and dental bills and back taxes. You name it. We do it," said Cohick.
The organization also gives out gift cards to homeless veterans and sends care packages overseas.
HOW's objective is to ensure small crises do not turn into major ones. Since their founding in 2015 and receiving their nonprofit status in 2017, they have helped several hundred people.
Cohick was moved to found the nonprofit after losing her brother Lt. Col. John J. Fleming. He served in the Army in Vietnam and later succumbed to the effects of Agent Orange in 1997.
"It just helps me memorialize my brother and the other soldiers who sacrificed so much – even their lives," said Cohick.
The loss of a family member also drove Patty Beck Henry to volunteer for HOW.
"My father's brother was killed in Okinawa at the end of WWII. Like Patty, we feel the loss of family," said Henry, who is HOW's secretary.
Cohick said veterans and active military don't often reach out to HOW.
"These veterans don't call us. Usually, it is a family member or friend because they don't want to ask," she said. "Last winter we had a gentleman whose furnace wasn't working. He kept running out to his car to warm up and then went back into his house, until he had to go back to the car. Then, his car battery died. His friend reached out to us and we had someone put in a new battery in his car and had his furnace repaired. We had several other organizations that helped him. That touches me the most. He was determined to take care of himself because that is what soldiers do."
Beck noted that donations for military causes have been jeopardized by the recent removal of Pennsylvania skill games in VFWs and American Legions.
"That was easy money for such a long time and the money they received was put into their budget but now that money has stopped," said Henry.
That means HOW and other military nonprofits must work harder to raise funding. It is a crucial point ahead of the holiday season. Every year the organization helps veteran families with Christmas gifts for their children.
"Without the funds we can't do this," said Henry.
The eight-member HOW board is composed solely of volunteers, who often pay for the nonprofit's expenses out of their own pockets.
"We don't take a penny for ourselves. Every penny raised goes to active military and veterans in Lycoming County," said Cohick.
VFW Post 7863 is opening its doors to the public this Wednesday and tickets will be available for sale right up to the raffle drawing. Tickets can be purchased online though HOW's Lycoming County Helping Our Warriors Facebook page and printed tickets are available at First Citizens Community Bank (FCCB) at 1820 E. Third Street in Williamsport. Please note that tickets are not available on HOW's website lycominghow.org. In addition to being a sponsor for the car raffle, FCCB has the car on view in their parking lot.