12 | Saturday, November 9, 2024
HONORING VETERANS
Ministry and its leader help give veterans and their pets the support they need
Brando, this help extends past the veteran and to their families as well. The outreach even tries to help out the animal companion for veterans. Brando has a relationship with Voice for Companion Animals and Parks Veterinary that allows him to help veterans with any pet bills. “I could just call Parks Veterinary and say a vet’s coming in with an animal that needs shots or needs a checkup, or any need there is for the animal, and they’ll … say no prob- lem,” Brando said. “They have an account set up for me, and they just take my debit card on their account and they’ll just bill me. And to have that kind of trust factor makes my job so much easier.” It’s not just veterinary bills, though. Re- cently, BCV put together a foster care pro- gram to help out a veteran and his service dog, Ody. The veteran currently lives in the VA transitional housing program and was not allowed to leave Ody unsupervised. However, the veteran also wasn’t allowed to bring Ody to work, which put him in a tough situation.
GRACIE SMITH gracie.smith@theindependent.com
Left: Anthony Brando (center) receives a cookie cake during one of the Business Coalition for Veterans’ fall bonfire hangouts.
When a veteran has no one to rely on, taking care of their animal is very impor- tant. The Business Coalition for Veterans is a nonprofit outreach of Destiny Church that has sought to help veterans in the com- munity for nearly eight years. Founder Anthony Brando said that his mindset in creating BCV was so that veterans were treated well, and not how they were when he was growing up in the ‘60s and ‘70s. “You might not believe this, but veterans were turned down jobs, they were refused housing, they were ridiculed and signs, you know, bad signs, cursing veterans out, spitting on them,” Brando said. “It’s hard to believe the way we have come around full circle today, to think that that existed 60 years ago in America, but it did. And so I’ve taken on the mantle to never, ever — any- thing that I could do, to never let that hap- pen again, to our country and to our veter- ans serving, I would do whatever I could.” Some of what the BCV offers is to pay for food, clothing, bills and any other needs that veterans could have. According to
Above: Ody the service dog. VIA BUSINESS COALITION FOR VETERANS FACEBOOK
Please see MINISTRY, Page 13
Everyone at Eustis Body Shop would like to thank all Americans who have bravely defended our country. On this Veterans Day, we would encourage all Nebraskans to take a moment to think about those who have served and thank them for their sacrifice. FOR YOUR SERVICE
VETERANS THANK YOU
LOCATED AT 3740 W. OLD HWY 30 (308) 382-9560 | eustisbodyshop.com
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