Local Veteran Recognized in National VFW #StillServing Campaign

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (March 4, 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 Spokane area 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 Spokane area 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 Benjamin Hayhurst shared how he is serving. After obtaining both physical and mental wounds following his service in Operation Iraqi Freedom, Ben found respite in working with steel. He currently is a blacksmith/bladesmith and makes Damascus steel knives for his fellow servicemen and shares this hobby with other veterans suffering from PTSD. Most recently, Hayhurst was asked to use his skills to bring awareness to the rising rates of military veteran and first responder suicide. Hayhurst created a firefighter’s axe using 417 pieces of steel from the World Trade Center, which when welded together, create 417 lines symbolic of the 417 first responders who lost their lives on 9/11. The axe also features the Spartan’s Pledge, a commitment among veterans to not take their own lives but rather stand for their fellow soldiers in times of despair. The axe currently resides at the NYFD Fire Academy in New York City.

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.