The holidays remind us to appreciate what we have, love those in our lives and give back to the community through donations, time and love.
The monthly Stand Downs held near the City Park Bandshell, Reading, are the epitome of just that – donations of love and kindness.
It all began four years ago, when Douglassville resident Betty Clark and Doug Graybill, Veterans Making A Difference, teamed up to help the homeless.
“Betty was out with me four years ago giving out coats,” Graybill said. Graybill, who speaks openly about experiencing homelessness in the past, is dedicated to giving back on a daily basis.
“I’m out at the camps every day, I deliver 600 lunches monthly, 500 pounds of food and tons of clothing, tarps…whatever they need.”
The simple act of passing out coats during the winter months has since “really grown through word of mouth” and evolved into a full-time operation.
In August 2011, volunteers began organizing an outdoor meal complete with donations of clothing and supplies to make life on the street more bearable.
“People just want to get on board and help,” Liz Graybill, who is also a veteran, said. “We get more donations and more people who want to help and volunteer. We continue to serve and pay it forward.”
Stand Down, held the second Saturday of every month, is designed to provide homeless or at risk veterans with essential resources. Debbie and Cherokee, of the Second Brigade Motorcycle Club, have also been instrumental in the organizing of the Stand Down missions. Stand Down assists veterans who need help, regardless of how many years of service they have served.
“They could come in from the living on the streets, get clean clothes, socks, blankets, boots and toiletries,” Cherokee said. “We provide camaraderie and a hot meal.”
Volunteers from a wide variety of backgrounds from motorcycle clubs, veterans groups, Armed Forces Brotherhood, Catholic Charters, Reading Motorcycle Club, Vietnam Vets, Birdsboro Legion, Berks County U.S. Naval Sea Cadets, college students, and churches are known to serve at the event.
“We all chipped together as one happy family,” he said.
With over 4,400 homeless or at risk veterans living in the Greater Reading area, each Stand Down needs all the volunteer help they can find. Cherokee himself served in the U.S. Air Force, lives a “lucky life” but has experienced homelessness first-hand and “it sucks.” With the help of his veteran friends, he remade himself and now just wants to help the folks who find themselves in the same situation.
“The first one we had three people. Last Christmas we fed 136,” Cherokee said. “It’s all about helping out the veterans.”
For this volunteer, supporting other vets is emotional.
“I don’t want to ask for anything. Men (veterans) that live on the street don’t want to ask for anything… they don’t see themselves as heroes or that they deserve anything,” he said. “They do deserve it.”
The community agrees, which is shown through the out pour of support. This year over 30 volunteers helped to make December Stand Down, complete with a Christmas dinner, possible. A dozen turkeys were served for the dinner, which kicked off with boys from the Berks County U.S. Naval Sea Cadets holding the American flag while the National Anthem played.
The cadets organized and assisted with the clothing donations. For the December Stand Down, volunteers led in singing Christmas carols to create a true Christmas spirit.
The Christmas spirit seems to be alive and well throughout the year.
For Betty Clark, it is the personal stories from the veterans that keep her coming back month after month.
Clark has rounded together members of St. Paul’s Lutheran Church, Douglassville, to get on board with donations and gather together fleeces, towels, socks, gloves, hats, sweaters and even bake homemade desserts.
“The way this has grown is wonderful,” Clark said, who has been helping since the beginning. Her volunteer efforts have expanded through her own community as she will often “come home and there will be things at my front and back doors from neighbors” who also want to help.
“People just bring stuff to us over and over and over again,” Cherokee said.
Tina Rever represented Applebee’s, Wyomissing, who also provided Stand Down with donations of food.
Exeter resident Connor Mckon came to the Stand Down with his father, Jim, specifically to meet a hero. Connor was introduced to a former Marine and POW named Walt.
“These men [and women] who have served in military allow us our freedoms,” Cherokee said. “This gives me something to live for.”
For more on the missions of the Second Brigade Motorcycle Club, visit them online at sbmcphilly.com.
