FORT MYERS, Fla. — A Fort Myers nonprofit donated more than $1 million worth of household furniture and appliances and more to veterans and their families last year, emphasizing appreciation for veterans should be a year-round commitment.
Hearts and Homes for Veterans has assisted over 2,400 veterans in Fort Myers in the past year, providing essential services and supplies to those who have served our country.
Watch Fort Myers Community Correspondent Miyoshi Price's report:
"Vietnam [vets] wasn't treated right when they came back, so we're trying to change that and treat them better," said Spain.
Dale Spain, a veteran who served in the United States Marine Corps for 16 years before retiring in 2018, is the CEO of Hearts and Homes for Veterans. He believes appreciating veterans must go beyond May.
"We're free because of them. They took care of us when we weren't around or when our parents were around," said Spain.
According to the Florida Department of Veterans Affairs, there are approximately 1.4 million veterans in the state of Florida.
The organization offers a range of services to support veterans in need.
"Two days a month, the barbers come in from the college and they'll cut veterans' hair for free," said Spain.
They also have Humana representatives visit to help veterans with Medicaid and Medicare.
The nonprofit maintains a warehouse stocked with a variety of items, including hygiene kits, bedding, bathroom supplies, kitchen essentials, household furniture, and more.
"We have a shower facility and a laundry facility. We can get them off the street. We get them into housing, get them into a hotel," said Spain.
Men like Robert Shannon, who served in the military, continue their service alongside Spain at the organization.
"I've seen our representatives make people just relax and things going to be okay. You came to a good place. We can help you," said Shannon.
Shannon is no stranger to answering the call to help his community even after his military career ended. Being from New York during 9/11, he went to the fallen towers to help.
"None of us had seen anything like this before, and to save a life would have been a wonderful thing, but there weren't too many saves on that one," said Shannon.
Even though Shannon retired in the 80s, service remains in his blood. Last year, he provided over 1,200 rides to veterans to and from appointments.
Last week, in the City of Fort Myers, Mayor Kevin Anderson hosted a reveal of a flag drop-off box.
FOX 4s Miyoshi Price attended the ceremony in Fort Myers for the drop box on the sidewalk at City Hall to honor veterans and remind people of the ultimate sacrifice.
Mayor Kevin Anderson said the American Legion Post 38 will pick up the flags when the box is full and conduct a proper ceremony to retire the flag. He introduced people at the drop-off box reveal to a few members of Post 38.
Kevin Boyd retired from the United States Navy and went on to serve as the Post 38 Commander for 15 years.
"They bring the flags, they drop them off. We're going to come and pick the flags up from here. And then one of our members, Randy Eck, he goes and collects all the flags, and he does a retirement ceremony where they burn the flags and all of that properly," said Boyd.
Mayor Anderson discusses military appreciation and the days set aside to honor the brave men and women who have served this country. He says to educate yourself on how to celebrate, respect, commemorate, and or even mourn.
"You talk about military appreciation. You know, there's Armed Forces Day, there's Memorial Day, and there's Veterans Day. And sadly, people get them confused. They become three-day weekends. And you know, we need to remember Armed Forces Day is to celebrate and honor those who are serving. Veterans Day is to honor those who have served, and Memorial Day is to honor those, those most sacred soldiers who served and made the ultimate sacrifice," said Anderson.
"It's important that people understand there are over 65,000 veterans who live in Lee County," said Boyd.
"The flag represents the blood of our original patriots, the blue of the sky, the stars for each of the states and the white for the honesty and the purity that we had of heart to get to this country," said Nerbak.
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