KNOE 8 News; KNOE-TV; KNOE.com |Veterans Helping Veterans

Veterans Helping Veterans

MONROE, La. (KNOE 8 News) -  The truckload of clothing donated to the Northeast Louisiana War Veterans Home by the Disabled Vets National Foundation was not needed by former soldiers in North Louisiana, so they are passing the help along to their brothers down south.  Tommy Shoemaker was injured in Afghanistan, and is now Associate Director of the Monroe home.

"Anything that we can do.  They'll take the shirt off their back to give to another vet.  That's the way they are.  Veterans have always been that way.  Vets take care of vets."

Vietnam Vet Burt Stigen and his wife Denise and some homeless veterans from their shelter, City of Refuge, located in Vinton, Louisiana, came to Monroe today to pick up the donated new clothes.  What will this mean to the homeless vets there?

"It's going to mean clean clothes, probably for some of them new clothes.  There's been a number of years since some of them have had clothes with a tag on them."

The City of Refuge, founded by the Stigens, gives homeless veterans a place to stay, food and clothing for as long as they need.  Jason Ciccarelli has been at the shelter since February.

"Finally Burt and Denise, after some ordeals, kind of have given me back hope.  There are good people out there.  Especially that I'm a veteran, finding a vet that has done all he has for so many people."

Shakespeare wrote of Henry V's speech to his troops:  "We few, we happy few, we band of brothers;  for he today that sheds his blood with me shall be my brother."  That continues as a creed for our military today.