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Local Veteran Recognized in National VFW #StillServing Campaign

Local veteran shares how he helps military families remember their loved ones

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (February 11, 2020) — To kick off its new campaign to bring attention to and honor the continued commitment of America's military veterans, Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) is asking Florida veterans to share stories on how they are #StillServing.

The Corporation for National & Community Service's 2018 Volunteering in America Report shows that veterans volunteer 25 percent more time, are 17 percent more likely to make a monetary donation and are 30 percent more likely to participate in local organizations than the civilian population. The VFW urges Florida veterans to visit vfw.org/StillServing to learn more about the campaign, share their story, make a shareable image of their service, watch videos of VFW members making a difference and see a collection of user-generated content.

For example, local veteran Cliff Leonard shared how he is serving. Leonard is a Marine Corps veteran who now uses his artistic talents to bring comfort to military families that lost a loved one. He provides these families with a handmade bronze bust based on a photo of their family member, free of charge. In the past 13 years, Leonard has sculpted about 50 busts, each one taking about 2 months to complete.

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Building on a legacy of service that spans more than a century, #StillServing represents the heart of the VFW and its members, and conveys what today's VFW embodies. The VFW encourages all veterans to share stories on social media using #StillServing to show how they continue to answer the call to serve in ways big and small. In addition, family or friends are asked to use #StillServing in social media posts to honor a veteran in their lives who believes the spirit of service transcends military life.

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ABOUT THE VFW: The Veterans of Foreign Wars of the U.S. is the nation's largest and oldest major war veterans organization. Founded in 1899, the congressionally-chartered VFW is comprised entirely of eligible veterans and military service members from the active, Guard and Reserve forces. With more than 1.6 million VFW and Auxiliary members located in over 6,000 Posts worldwide, the nonprofit veterans service organization is proud to proclaim "NO ONE DOES MORE FOR VETERANS" than the VFW, which is dedicated to veterans' service, legislative advocacy, and military and community service programs. For more information or to join, visit our website at vfw.org.

Media Contact: Randi K. Law, Communications Manager, rlaw@vfw.org, 816.968.1104.

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