by Emelia Hitchner
After the newly opened Veterans Center made its debut, it was no surprise that a Veterans Club would be established shortly after.
Thomas Betty, Vice President of the club was enthusiastic in his need for veteran volunteers to help get the club more involved.
“We need to start a recruitment fort activity for veterans on this campus. The veterans are not being recognized for their service and they need help,” said Betty. “That’s what we’re here for. We’re not only going to be concentrating on the campus community, but on all of Volusia County.”
Betty’s goal for the club is to gather enough volunteers to branch out farther than the campus and to reach out to veterans in the neighborhood. Each Daytona State College campus has its own set of officers, but volunteers will be needed jumpstart the outreach. The volunteers do not have to just be veterans, either.
“We want people to engage themselves in the Veterans Club and to be active, helping veterans on this campus and within the community to transition from a bad state to a better state. There’s 70,000 veterans in Volusia County. That’s a big portion of our population,” said Betty.
The Veterans Club will be aiding homeless veterans and veterans just returning home to ease back into a daily routine. The club hopes to provide resources to veterans that will aid them in finding housing, food and food stamps.
Betty said that the club will even be working with the Veterans Administration in the area to coordinate activities with the club’s activities and get student volunteers involved in making veteran organizations successful.
The club’s focus will be an outreach program to let veterans know that resources, help and support are available to them. Students and veterans interested in being a part of the volunteer outreach project can meet in the Veterans Center on Friday at 11 a.m in Building 130.
“Keep in mind, all veterans are heroes, but not all heroes are veterans. Volunteering is what it is all about,” concluded Betty. “You want to be a hero? Volunteer.”