Coins clink to help veterans

[Arizona Coin Collector]

FROM:
http://media.www.dailylobo.com/media/storage/paper344/news/2008/11/13/News/Coins.Clink.To.Help.Veterans-3541496.shtml

New Mexico Daily Lobo

The Independent Voice of the
University of New Mexico since 1895

Coins clink to help veterans
Tamon Rasberry
Issue date: 11/13/08 Section: News

(STORY PHOTO LINK)
http://media.collegepublisher.com/media/paper344/stills/79y5yz1y.jpg
(Sean DeBuck adds a penny to the Mile
of Coins for a Veterans Day fundraiser
in Smith Plaza on Tuesday. The donations
were given to the Veterans Integration
Center.)

The New Mexico Veterans Integration Center asked students
to give their two cents at the "Mile of Coins" fundraiser
held in Smith Plaza on Tuesday.

Students were asked to give any change they could to make
a line of coins later donated to the Veterans Integration
Center.

Graduate student Darrin Kowitz said the fundraiser, held
in honor of Veterans Day, collected about $1,280 in change
and cash.

Jenny Weale, a spokeswoman for the VIC, said the Mile of
Coins is an effective fundraising tool because small
donations add up quickly.

"Even if there were just a mile of pennies alone, the
tally would come to $844.80," she said.

Kowitz, who organized the fundraiser, said this is an
important time to give to veterans and that his group
will likely hold fundraisers in the future.

"Veterans are definitely prevalent in our society,
especially today," Kowitz said. "The goal is to try
and provide a much more comfortable atmosphere
between student veterans and Universities. The new
G.I. Bill that was presented last year said to
expect a lot more veterans coming out of war
including a lot of student veterans."

Junior Jesica Andrews donated to the Mile of Coins
and said she encouraged others to as well.

"Veterans have a lot to overcome when they
integrate back to society, so I think it's
important for all people to support them as
much as we can," she said.

Weale said Veterans Day is often overshadowed
by Memorial Day.

"Although Memorial Day is very important, people
tend to downplay Veterans Day because of this,"
Weale said. "This fundraiser will be a great way
for people to see it's very important to
recognize our veterans, also."

Student Eric Ross, a member of the Veterans
Integration Center, said the group focuses on
homeless veterans and veterans who are at risk
of becoming homeless.

"The VIC has the potential to house 150 homeless
veterans, but if you look at Albuquerque alone,
there are 2,000 veterans who are homeless," Ross
said. "What VIC will provide is 150 beds, and
then the New Mexico VA also will provide 75
beds, but that's only 225 beds that are out
there for an estimated 2,000 people who are
homeless."

Ross said veterans who are returning from war
often come back with medical and psychological
issues that can make readjusting to home life
difficult.

Weale said coming home is a tough process and
that the Veterans Integration Center needs
donations to continue helping.

"It's a lot harder than one would think to just
leave the military and be OK," she said.
"When you join the military, it's a whole
process - the military (will) completely break
you down to build you back up as a person,
which I think is why veterans do become
homeless. It's hard sometimes to get yourself
out of that mind-frame, to be like
everyone else."

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