KFAL The Big 900 Classic Country
The nation’s largest VA lender says its recent thanks to veterans tour shined a light on the ways that veterans give back to their communities each day.
Employees at Columbia-based Veterans United (VU) Home Loans traveled the country in October and earlier this month. Veterans United marketing compliance manager Baxter Nickels says VU wants to give back to veterans.
“We want to help America’s veterans form stronger networks to make sure that they’re integrated in their communities and that we’re kind of help bridging that sort of that military-civilian divide a little bit,” Nickels says.
While the RV tour traveled through 24 states, there was also a lot of work done here in mid-Missouri. Nickels tells 939 the Eagle that 50 to 60 veterans who work at VU came to the Columbia headquarters to do a service project for the Salvation Army. They packed winter care kits for homeless veterans.
“We had about 50, 60 vets come out plus several of our military advisers came down. We packed a bunch of winter care kits, packed a bunch of warm socks. Just kind of like the basic essentials that you need if you’re sort of disadvantaged, if you’re an unhoused person,” says Nickels.
Nickels says VU will do the RV tour again next year, adding that they’re looking for suggestions on locations and organizations worth supporting. You can submit your suggestions on the thankstoveterans.com website. VU is asking your your suggestions of locations and organizations worthy of supporting.
“Anybody who wants to nominate a service project or otherwise provide some sort of suggestion in ways that we can bring down the RV and integrate the tour into it, go to thankstoveterans.com and submit your organization or your veteran-focused cause,” Nickels says.
He says the RV tour traveled through 24 states and Washington D-C, logging about 8,000 miles and 1,500 volunteer hours served.
