Building a Better Avoyelles Donates to Mansura VFW Post 3841

Building a Better Avoyelles has presented a donation of $2300 to VFW Post 3841 in Mansura to help the veterans purchase materials to install new flooring in their post facility.

For me, this one is personal. Several years ago, when I was campaigning for School Board, I met with the men and women of this post. They gave me solid advice and treated me with respect. Since then I have helped them in writing a few grants and supported them any way I could. I have always believed that these veterans represent the best of us. They went overseas to protect our freedom and they continue to serve our community here at home.

A couple of months ago I stopped by their facility on a day when they were preparing and serving food for other veterans. I visited with Commander Bruce Jackson and told him how nice the place looked compared to the last time I had been there. He told me they had been working hard on improvements, but that the floors still needed to be replaced.

He explained that all they needed was the flooring material. They did not mind doing the work themselves.

When people who have already given so much are still willing to do the labor, the least we can do is help them get what they need.

I put a request in the Avoyelles Journal asking the public to consider donating. I also mentioned it during the fundraiser we held for the political satirist Alphonse. Little by little, people stepped forward. Some gave quietly. Others contacted me directly wanting to help.

In the end, our community raised $2300 to support the VFW’s project to replace the floors in their building. We had one large anonymous donor and several named donors including myself, State Representative Daryl Deshotel, Mark Jeansonne, Heath Pastor, Bill Belt and others who cared enough to pitch in.

Every contribution mattered. Every dollar went toward helping these veterans continue their mission of serving others. Building a Better Avoyelles, which owns Avoyelles Publishing and this newspaper, was created to help strengthen our parish.

Part of that mission is using our platform to lift up people and organizations who deserve support. When you advertise with us, you are directly supporting efforts like this and helping us give back to the people who make Avoyelles Parish a special place.

On behalf of everyone involved, thank you to all who contributed. Thank you to the men and women of VFW Post 3841 for their service, for their kindness, and for continuing to make Avoyelles Parish a better place.