THE VETERANS' PRESS: Veterans Help Net turns 3 years old today

Over the past three years, so many people have contributed their efforts and skills to help Veterans Help Net try to accomplish their mission of providing information and direction to the Veterans and their families through our two monthly publications — The Veterans Chronicle and The Veterans' Press. These folks have given parts of their hearts and souls trying to have an impact … Trying to make a difference … Trying to give some “Hope and Help” to our veterans, their families and friends.

During that time, we’ve searched for people, organizations and stories that will mean something to our Veterans that need help. We’ve tried to help them find a path to reduce their pain and give them some Hope for living a better and healthier life. A better life they earned with their service and sacrifices.

We’ve always wondered if anyone was listening … if anyone was reading our stories.

“Was The Veterans Chronicle and The Veterans' Press delivering the “Hope and Help” that many veterans and their families desperately needed? Are the articles and stories that we presented in our publications and social media really making a difference?

We didn’t need to measure results to push us forward … we believed our messages and stories were important and impacting. We believed if we helped one veteran or one family find hope and help, then our mission was a success.

Recently we received a message from Bret Bowers, the Public Affairs Officer at Spokane’s VA Hospital (Mann-Grandstaff Veterans Administration Medical Center). He requested some extra copies of our recent Veterans Chronicle and concluded his request with “Our Enrollment team is getting flooded with calls over some of the articles within the latest insert.”

Even though we did not need anyone to tell us we’ve done some good … it was always wonderful to hear that it was working.

Thank you, Bret for the input and comments and thank you for all the articles and stories you provided over the first three years.

Many people and organizations deserve thanks for helping us over the last three years. Today, I would to single out a few that don’t normally get mentioned.

First, let me send some thank you and credos to our incredible teams at the two newspapers that we help produce their veteran sections

The Veterans Chronicle, which is produced and presented every third Monday in the Spokesman-Review.

Joe Butler, niche and online content coordinator for The Spokesman-Review’s Marketing Department, Joe saw the value in our idea and helped lead the team to where we are now.

Scott Baumbach, classified advertising manager. Scott was the first we talked to when we presented the idea of a Veterans Chronicle and he introduced the idea to the Spokesman-Review team and has championed the development of the publication and has expanded it’s scope, reach and format.

Theresa Tanner, marketing writer, The Spokesman-Review Theresa helped us make the Veterans Chronicle a professional and quality produced publication by editing or articles and stories and helping us put order in our chaos.

Anne Potter, advertising/marketing graphic designer. Anne helped us put color style and format to our publication and made Veterans Chronicle and all of us look great.

Our deepest thanks for your support, insight and creativity to help us start and continue this worthy effort.

The Veterans' Press let me thank the team at the Coeur d'Alene and Post Falls Press for their work to help us produce The Veterans' Press, that is published every third Tuesday.

Mike Patrick, managing editor. Mike said yes before we finished the explanation and presented the program. He got it right away and has been there every step of the way in developing and expanding the form and format of The Veterans' Press.

Other team members, Steve Hanson, Kari Packer, Brenda Hanson and Angie High — thanks for putting shape, color and form to the publication and help sell the idea and goodness to the advertisers.

Our deepest thanks to our North Idaho Team, for your support, insight and creativity to help us start and continue this worthy effort.

These two teams are committed and dedicated to monthly helping Veterans Help Net put together an interesting, impactful and important veteran’s newspaper section for the community they serve. They tell our veterans stories, recognize the important work that individuals and organization do for veterans in their communities and help find a path for “Hope and Help” for our veterans and their families.

Thanks, are also given to our readers and story contributors. Especially, our overworked volunteer correspondent’s and writers.

Next month we will tell you who they are, how and why they joined our team.

You have seen their bylines on many articles and stories.

“We know you put your hearts and souls into your work, and we are honored to have you on our team, sharing your insight and skills.”

Three years gone … but not forgotten and we hope many more as Veterans Help Net tries to show veterans and their families a “Path to Hope and Help.”

Thank you and keep the stories coming … They are making a difference!

Sincerely,

— Veteran Help Net Team