We named our 2025 Holiday Heroes last month but wanted to do something different this time. We wanted to highlight each of our winners in our blog to share more about who they are and what they do in their communities. Today, we’re focusing on Jose Rodriguez who was nominated by Sandra Neuerburg. This is what she had to say about Jose and why he should be a Holiday Hero:
"He is a veteran who steps up and helps others without ever being asked and is an amazing hero to not just myself but to other vets and others for what he has done for this country [and] for every one so God bless him."
Our Holiday Hero winners receive $500 to donate to their charity/organization of choice. We asked Jose which organization he chose and to discuss more about what the organization does and why he chose it. This is his
response:
“I have chosen the Ellsworth VFW (Veterans of Foreign Wars) to receive the donation. The VFW is an organization made up of veterans that have fought in foreign wars. Now that we are home, we focus on helping other veterans and our communities. The VFW is important to me for several reasons. One of the main reasons is that the VFW helped me get back to being involved with the community.
Some things we do as a VFW post are hold events on Memorial Day and Veterans Day, as well as provide military burial detail for fallen veterans. We also can be a liaison for veterans seeking help with the VA. One of the main projects we are working on right now is called Wreaths Across America. It is a nationwide event where wreaths are placed at the graves of veterans during Christmas. It's one way we show that they are not forgotten. This event is a great way for the community to also come out and help remember their loved ones that served in the military.
Which brings me to the question about how to help or get involved. To become a member of the VFW, you have to have served in a foreign war. You can then talk to a member from your community who will be able get you (the veteran) the proper forms to fill out. As far as the community, ways to help would be spreading information about events that are going on or just being there to listen to a vet if the need to talk. Which brings me to why I joined the VFW. After returning home from Iraq, it was hard to get back into the flow of civilian life. Joining the VFW gave me a place to talk with other veterans that had gone through the same things. This is just one of the many benefits from the VFW. But I strongly encourage anyone that has questions, to please reach out to your local VFW. “
We appreciate Jose and what he does and for the service he gave to our country. We hope you can join us in celebrating him. Jose and the rest of our Holiday Heroes, are a great example of what makes Kansas great: the people and communities working together and helping each other. Stay tuned for our next blog posts as we spotlight our other two winners, Bev Vaughn and Darrell Bieker AKA Scott Donovan.
