When I first moved to the Truckee Meadows in 2008, I wasn't familiar with the Veterans Guest House…read more My introduction to VGH was by my daughter's friend who attended Orvis School of Nursing. As a military brat, this organization holds a special place in my heart. I have donated to this cause for fifteen years, including posting a reminder daily on my Facebook page to vote for VGH to win a large donation from Home Depot years ago. And, yes, they won! Finally, I visited their wonderful facility at their annual open house on December 9, 2023. I am so pleased to see that we are helping our Veterans and their families with lodging while the Veteran receives medical attention at no cost to them! Many companies and other groups provide dinner nightly for those staying there! If you have a minute, you might want to take a quick tour to see how VGH "spends" our donations and I believe you will also be impressed. Please keep in mind that VGH operates solely on the donations of our local community! There are reading areas, a laundry room, TV rooms, and bedrooms from single beds to family-sized all with bathrooms, large open community areas like the kitchen and dining area. Please remember that our Veterans signed a blank check when they served our country and now we can help them!

I'm not a veteran, so I have never used this facility…read more But it's one of my favorite organizations to contribute to. Several times a year I drop off various greeting cards for the guests to use, as well as various dental items. They also accept cash and gift cards to several area stores. Throughout the year VGH has a few fund raisers. October is Boots to Fashion. A fabulous event at a Reno casino ballroom that includes a champagne three course lunch, raffle and auction items and of course a fashion show. Women veterans of all ages and branches donate their time walk the runway and show off the latest trends in women's clothing from local shops. A fabulous event that honors the many women in the military. Why are fund raisers needed ? Because VGH provides US military service veterans and their families a place to stay in Reno while they are receiving medical treatment at the VA Center or other area facilities. The House is like a small hotel with a common area living room and kitchen. It is not associated the Veterans Administration. Guests are suggested a $25 a night donation to help defray costs, but no one is refused for lack of funds. The house, located across the street from the VA Hospital, is a non-profit, and receives no state or federal money for its day to day operations. Huge kudos for everything the VGH does for the veterans. Thank you sir and mam for your service. For more info - veteransguesthouse.org

Unless your a client they do not care. I used to be a client but stopped going for obvious reasons…read more Im totally done with the va. The va is 75% of the reason 22 vets commit suicide a day yet they refuse to change their approach. Its almost like thats what they want?

The American Legion Hall offers a nice space to hold events. It has several rooms to separate…read moreareas. Theres also a space outside A kitchen is available too and it's great to support our Vets!

We gave our today that you might have your tomorrow…read more "The Sparks American Legion Post was named for Lauren "Duby" Gilbert Reid who was killed in action on October 8, 1918. Lauren Gilbert Reid was born in Gold Hill, Storey County, Nevada on March 28th 1896. Although reared on the Comstock, he was well known in other western Nevada counties where he had a legion of friends. When the call to the colors came Reid entered military service on June 24, 1918. After training he was sent to France to serve with Company G, 308th Infantry of the 77th Division. The unit entered the fight of the Argonne forest on the extreme left end of the line in September 1918. It was the fate of this young soldier to be one of the men in the famous "Lost Battalion". He was wounded by shrapnel and died the next day of his wounds on October 8, 1918. On the gateway of a little cemetery in France is written these words: "We gave our today that you might have your tomorrow." The current Post building was built in 1980." The Duby Reid Sparks American Legion Post 30 is an active Veterans organization of some 160 members. Their goal is to provide important services to Veterans and our community. American Legion Post 30 members support the Cub Scouts, Boy Scouts, High School Junior ROTC, Operation Comfort Warrior, Honor Flight, and many more local and national charitable programs. They also have a Legion Riders affiliate. The building is available to American Legion members and the public for special events including wedding receptions, memorial services, celebration of life services, anniversary parties and more. They have tables, chairs, a kitchen and approximately 3500 square feet of usable space. Regular meetings are 7 pm the second Wednesday of each month. As an American Legion member, I treasure the American Legion as it is another valuable Veterans service organization.

November is National Veterans & Military Family Month…read more An army marches on its stomach so I attended the Sun Valley Nevada Annual Veterans Appreciation Breakfast held here because none more cherished in a Veteran's life than those who lighten the burdens of Veterans from Veterans military Service. The place was clean; tablecloths, patriotic centerpieces and mints were placed; coffee, milk, orange juice, pancakes, butter and syrup, sausage, and some mighty delicious perfectly cooked bacon was served. Red, white or blue bags filled with valuable information and gifts for Veterans were distributed. Pins with the Nevada flag and US flag were given away. The breakfast was opened with Pledge of Allegiance. Here's my Shout Out to those who were there to serve Veterans: The Girl Scouts who graciously and courteously and lovingly served we Veterans. The three women from Catholic Charities who patiently provided valuable information for a wide variety of services for Veterans. The Sun Valley General Improvement District Board of Trustees Vice-Chair Susan Severt, Chair Sandra Ainsworth, Treasurer Carmen Ortiz, Secretary Reverend Joseph Barstow, and Trustee Michael Rider who all graciously and courteously and lovingly and unpretentiously attended to we Veterans. It is organization such as Sun Valley General Improvement District Board of Trustees that are on the front lines of fighting to reduce the staggering and horrifying number of Veterans who daily succumb to suicide at the rate of more than twice that of non-Veterans. The politicians and candidates and the representative from Washoe County Sheriffs' Office who attended. The politicians and candidates who did attend graciously put aside their political differences and made the breakfast only all about the Veterans. I saw that a couple Veterans who are unable to drive received rides home from a couple of the candidates. Next week I'm sure some oaf will disappoint me at some self-proclaimed 5-Star business with the fact that they have no clue what a Veteran is after I inquire as to their Veterans Discount, then insult me with their cavalier reason why they don't is respect is earned. For this moment though, the love and respect and support for Veterans here was so palpable that I was buoyed up by it and remained so for the rest of the day. Here this event was publicized as for Veterans and Veterans were placed front and center throughout the whole event by the hosts and attendees. The Veterans event I was at the day before, see https://www.yelp.com/biz/nevada-veterans-memorial-plaza-sparks, well, when it came time to cut the ribbon to formally open the Nevada Veterans Memorial Plaza, an ostentatious gaggle of overweening public officials, the vast majority of whom are NOT a Veteran (we Veterans are an extraordinarily rare 7% of the population), all rushed up and crowded together to get their pictures taken and to cut that ribbon all the while clearly doing their best to make it about themselves and how important they believe they are over the importance of Veterans. I strongly felt that ribbon cutting to formally open the Nevada Veterans Memorial Plaza was the role of ONLY Veterans, and definitely NOT any non-Veterans. There were certainly plenty of Veterans there who could have and should have been the ONLY ones to have cut that ribbon. Those public officials from the day before Veterans event at Nevada Veterans Memorial Plaza can stand to learn a lot from the humble public officials who hosted today's Veterans Appreciation Breakfast who went out of their way to make it NOT about the public officials and only about and for Veterans. I've attended several of the past years breakfasts and this years was, as are so many organizations and businesses, struggling to overcome the ravages of Covid-19, so was a far pared-down event. I particularly enjoyed a past year's Veterans Appreciation Breakfast where the Washoe County Sheriff, who'd chosen NOT to Serve in America's Armed Forces, served me my breakfast. I hope next year's event brings back the local public officials and politicians with a stern warning to the politicians and public officials that the event is only about serving the Veterans, and brings back the couple dozen Veterans organizations and community resource groups that in years past completely lined the room's walls with their tables and volunteers. I also hope the future Veterans Appreciation Breakfasts brings back the press from previous years as the press also was missing from this year's Veterans Appreciation Breakfast. This Veterans Appreciation Breakfast is held every year about this time so check back for exactly what date and see you there next year. Dyk that Nevada's motto is All For Our Country?

Friendliness and camaraderie rules at the VFW's Reno Battle Born Bunker. The Canteen is open each…read moreTuesday through Saturday from 4 pm - 8 pm. Originally founded in 1899, as the American Veterans of Foreign Service, the Veterans of Foreign Wars continues to be a voice and haven for Veterans, returning and currently deployed U.S. Armed Forces service members, and their families.

My neighbor invited me to join her in viewing a play at this venue. I thought it would be…read moreinteresting to watch a war themed play in an underground military bunker. It was already dark when we arrived, so I didn't notice much about the outside other than the gravel parking lot. We walked down a ramp and entered a fair sized gathering room that included walls decked out with posters from all of the various wars in which the veterans had fought, card tables with plain padded chairs, and a bar, and the room was clouded with smoke. I am no fan of cigarette smoke, so this was a disappointing discovery. After the lights and sounds were checked properly, we were invited back to the bunker area for the performance, where we sat in scattered folding chairs. The air was much fresher and cooler than the gathering room, and no smoking was allowed in this area, thank goodness. The play, appropriately named "Wounded", was an intense drama about wounded soldiers from the war in Iraq. It was performed well, and the bunker was a great aesthetic to the setting. It was put on by Merry War Theater Group, who presented themselves as a pop-up ensemble whose acts can be followed on Facebook or through their e-mail list, as they do not perform in just one arena. My heart and gratitude go out to our Veterans. However, I would like to preserve my lungs from the wretches of second hand smoke.

Do you want to learn what it feels like to be spit on like your family members did in 1968 when…read morecoming back from fighting for your country? Do you want to remember the PTSD of a grandparent who hit every island in Japan? Then go and reach out for help with Maria Ruvalcaba | National Area Supervisor - Area 9. She will make sure you have the worst of worst experiences while working with the VA. She is located in Reno Nevada.

the services here far surpass the services in California, the individuals here are SO much nicer…read more And the listen to your concerns. My representative was SO nice and so helpful, I got nowhere fast in California, I pray these people are much more helpful! As a veteran, you expect satisfaction!

Here's a way, both the anchor and the pixie dust, to save and help Veterans and bees at the same…read moretime. One of my young cousins, who is enigmatic without being egotistical, detached without being cold, self-reliant without being suspicious, a secular humanist who is spiritual without being religious, recently received their Honorable Discharge and asked me to help them with an idea for a business that they can own and operate. I suggested Bees4Vets, and that I and a couple other cousins would sponsor my cousin who has military Service-connected PTSD and TBI. "It is a 501.C.3 non-profit organization partnered with University of Nevada, Reno Agricultural Experiment Station and Research & Innovation. Bees4Vets' incorporated in and based in Sparks, Nevada to serve Veterans and first responder populations. They provide hands-on training in beekeeping to Veterans and first responders with PTSD and / or TBI." https://www.facebook.com/Bees4Vets/ It is organizations such as here that are on the front lines of fighting to reduce the staggering and horrifying number of Veterans who daily succumb to suicide at the rate of more than twice that of non-Veterans. Beekeeping has been known to be a good vocation or hobby for Veterans since at least the end of World War I as published in "Opportunity Monograph, Vocational Rehabilitation Series No. 37 Bee Keeping", April 1919. https://www.losangelescountybeekeepers.com/blog/2015/11/11/veterans-day-veterans-in-beekeeping.html Contact: https://bees4vets.org/contact-us/ If you are a Veteran or first responder with PTSD and / or TBI who would like to participate in this program, living in or close to North Western Nevada, contact 'em. If you are a counselor or other health professional with a Veteran or first responder client who would benefit from Bees4Vetsprogram, reach out to 'em. If you would like a Bees4Vets presentation at your school, office, social organization or church in North Western Nevada, contact 'em. If you would like to sponsor a bee hive or beekeeper student, contact them or make a donation at https://bees4vets.org/donate/ . If you are a gardener, and would like to provide a pollinator friendly garden, do the following: Fill Your Garden With Bee-Friendly Flowers One of the easiest ways to help out bees is by planting lots of bee-friendly flowers in your garden. Bees favour a wide range of flowering plants, which you can grow easily with from seedball bee mix from https://www.americanmeadows.com/wildflower-seeds/wildflower-mix/honey-bee-wildflower-seed-mix or https://www.seedsource.com/catalog/detail.asp?product_id=4505 or https://seedball.co.uk/product/bee-mix/ or https://www.bloomling.com/seedball/bee-mix-seedballs . Simply scatter the seedballs in a location of your choice, water, feed and watch them sprout! Provide Shelter For Bees Like most invertebrates, bees need shelter to nest and hibernate in. You can create your own bee shelter or buy a ready-made bee hotel - just hang it up in a sunny sheltered spot in your garden and watch bees filling the tubes during the spring and summer months. https://www.nationalgeographic.org/media/build-your-own-bee-hotel/ https://www.foxleas.com/make-a-bee-hotel.asp https://offgridworld.com/27-incredibly-beautiful-bee-hotels-and-why-you-should-build-one/ Pesticides are one of the key threats to bees, and so one way to help bees is to stop using them in your own garden. Some pests provide food for crucial pollinators, so leaving them to be controlled naturally is the best choice to help save bees. Help A Bee In Need Often during the summer months you may spot a solitary bee sitting unmoving on the ground. Whilst it is easy to presume it might be dead or dying, chances are it is actually exhausted and in need of a quick pick-me-up. You can help out a tired bee by mixing two tablespoons of white, granulated sugar with one tablespoon of water, placing it near the bee so it can help itself to this homemade energy drink. The greatest contribution of bees and other pollinators is the pollination of nearly three quarters of the plants that produce 90% of the world's food. A third of the world's food production depends on bees, i.e. every third spoonful of food depends on pollination. Where trees and woods are essential to filter our air, bees are vital to both pollinate the food we need to survive and pollinate most of the trees and flowers that provide habitats for wildlife. https://www.military.com/benefits/beekeeping-all-rage-these-programs-can-help-veterans-get-started.html#:~:text=In%201919%20as%20troops%20returned,of%20its%20recreational%20therapy%20programs The University of Minnesota Bee Veterans program is at https://beelab.umn.edu/bee-veterans

From the owner: Our mission is to assist military veterans and first responders living with PTSD or TBI through a…read morebeekeeping experiences in the local community; combining outdoor activity, education and community outreach to create an environment of support and training where veterans and first responders can develop the interest and skills necessary to participate in beekeeping as a vocation or hobby.

Did you know the youth homeless population is the fastest growing in the nation?…read more As a masters candidate at UNR, Lynette Eddy did, and she saw a need to get ahead of it in our community, starting the Eddy House to help, and today this is one of the most successful in the nation! I had the opportunity to work for the first version of this NPO near the beginning, when they owned a home in NW Reno that provided a safe place for 5-8 young men to live and owned a restaurant in downtown Reno as a work experience for them. I knew the organization was vital then, but it just wasn't the right format for them to deliver their maximum impact. Over the years they learned a lot, and under the leadership of some extremely astute folks, they've grown into the vital community organization I always knew them to be. Starting with the YOU, they helped homeless youth find purpose and footing, access to necessary resources and opportunities to learn academically and about themselves with the support of some great local partners. In the last year they realized their dream of opening a 24 hour drop in center for youth, something so incredibly needed by our community, and they continue to advance their mission from there. Now they need our support more than ever. If you can, consider sharing something with them so they can continue to serve the community.

I called before I went because many of the local charities ask you to make an appointment. They are…read morealso only taking certain items. I've donated here before so am familiar with how they handle security. They do a great job. Thanks for your good work and for the care and concern for everyone.