VFW Asks Area Veterans to Share How They are #StillServing

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (September 23, 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 Washington 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 Washington 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 Ron Jacobson recently shared how he is #StillServing. Jacobson has spent the last decade volunteering thousands of hours per year with local elementary school children, serving as a tutor, lunchroom monitor and morning greeter. He is such a staple and positive influence in the school that children started referring to him as "Grandpa Ron."

Jacobson was 900 volunteer hours into the 2019/2020 school year when classes went online due to COVID-19 concerns. The students missed Grandpa Ron so much that they pushed school administrators to add Jacobson's contact information in the school directory. Kids now send him emails and letters and even stop by his home to check on him.

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.

-vfw-
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.