WS Chronicle

Veterans Helping Veterans Heal (VHVH) held their second annual fundraising golf tournament at the Reynolds Park golf course on Sept. 20. 

VHVH sponsors a 24-bed transitional housing facility for previously homeless male veterans in Forsyth County.  VHVH was the cornerstone of Winston-Salem/Forsyth County County’s Ten Year Plan to End Chronic Homelessness and is an active partner of the Veterans Administration in Salisbury, N.C., and the city of Winston-Salem.

Last year, the organization was able to raise close to $30,000 during the inaugural tournament, with 100 golfers participating in the event.  They were able to eclipse that mark this year.

“It’s all about our obligation to give back to veterans, giving them a more stable environment, so the mission is really to create a foundation of home and spirit for veterans,” said Craig Peatross, president of NC Housing Foundation, which is the head organization for VHVH.

VHVH was created in 2012 and gets most of their funding from the Veterans Administration but they have to find a way to make up the difference.  The golf tournament was started to help with that effort.

“This tournament has been a really easy sell to sponsors because you call someone up and tell them what the mission is of VHVH and they are willing to write the check,” Peatross continued.  “It was a successful event last year and we expect the same for this year.

They estimated there were around 80 golfers that participated in the tournament this year.  More golfers had registered for the event, but according to organizers, a few of the registered golfers are in the insurance profession and are dealing with the aftermath of Hurricane Florence.

Ron Connor, executive director for VHVH, says he is very thankful to all of the participants and sponsors for their commitment to the tournament.

“VHVH not only provides transitional housing for veterans; we help them with employment opportunities and seeking permanent housing as well,” Connor said.  “I hope we continue to have this tournament year after year because it makes a big difference, as far as the veterans are concerned.”

“Our success rate is around 80 percent with the veterans coming in and exiting the program into permanent housing and employment because that’s the goal,” he continued. 

Connor and Peatross say the 24-bed facility is usually at capacity, which speaks to the homeless veteran problem not only in the city, but across the nation.