Post 15 Vet Build

10/03/2012

07/05/2012

Yesterday representatives from Veterans BUILD walked in the Sioux Falls 4th of July parade to raise awareness of our project. We created this little house to help draw attention to the project. I want to thank Wayne and Jen Abels for helping to build our little House and Bridgett and Emily Sandau-Baker for helping by walking in the parade and a special thank you to John and Laurene Mills for their help trsansporting the house to and from the parade. It was a wonderful day. If you would like to help us - please make a donation to Veterans BUILD c/o American Legion Post 15, 1701 W. Legion Dr. Sious Falls, SD 57104. Thank you and God Bless America.

06/27/2012

Watch for representatives from Veterans Build to participate in the Sioux Falls 4th of July parade. Come see us afterwards at our booth at the Mayor's lunch. Find out how you can help us to reach our goal of building a home for a South Dakota hero and his family.

05/20/2012

Veterans Build Committee members were out today selling poppies in support of veterans past, present and future. Its sad that the meaning of "Poppy Day" has been lost on younger generations.

05/20/2012

Veterans Build Story - how it got started.

Service is in my blood, in fact you could say it was my DNA.
My grandfather, a first generation Swedish immigrant was attached with mustard gas in World War I. My father earned a Bronze Star and two Purple Hearts during the Korean War and my wife and I have lost two nephews in the Iraq War. Because of that sense of service instilled in me, I served twenty four years in the
Navy. But still felt I want to do more. In November of 2009, I read about program that was being undertaken as the result of a new working
relationship between the National American Legion and Habitat for Humanity International – building homes for veterans.

In March 2010, I saw more reports on line about how other American Legion Posts in several states were indeed involved in this program and were building homes for veterans. Between March and August , I started asking around to see if anyone had heard about the program, what they thought, if there was a need for it in Sioux Falls and if we could pull it off.

The consensus was: “It’s a great concept and we support it.”
So, in November, I sat down and spoke with Community Development Director of the local Habitat for Humanity affiliate. He agreed to join me and made a presentation to the Veterans council and submitted a proposal on wanted was need to accomplish this project.

By that time, my commitment to the idea had gotten so strong that it was nothing short of a calling to service again from God. During that same month, I received the complete backing of Sioux Falls American Legion Post 15 .
Over the next year I spoke to: Veterans organizations, State Legislators, Sioux Falls City Council members, Minnehaha County Staff and many interested private citizens. We have also built a working relationship with students at Globe University.

On January of this year we had our first fundraiser, a Chili Cook off – that raised over 1600.00. Our committee is excited to be finally gaining some momentum. It has submitted its first application for a grant and is continuing to follow up with other sources of funding and support.

Submitted by Dean DeLashmutt

05/16/2012

raising awareness in Sioux Falls for the homeless vets!