Preston Johnson could only muster a wide smile, wipe away a tear and say, “Isn’t this the most beautiful thing you ever saw.”
What caught his gaze was the Leadership Greer Class XXXII unveiling of a Disabled American Veterans (DAV) mobile booth to provide the organization the ability to display and give information, to recruit new members and to disseminate resources to veterans and their families.
The presentation was held Saturday at the Village Hospital Greer Family Fest, just before Aaron Tippin performed in a homecoming performance at City Park.
“This is beyond anything I could have imagined,” said Johnson, commander of DAV Chapter 39 in Greer. “This puts the veterans’ information on file immediately and allows us to come to the vets.”
Veterans and members of the DAV will provide help to families including how to file claims with the VA.
The design of the trailer features the DAV’s local information, including web address, and the agencies that contributed to the project. A soldier saluting is featured on the opposite side, representing all retired and active military from all services.
Each year Greer’s Leadership Class chooses an annual project to help citizens and agencies of Greer.
The class also donated $1,200 to Camp Corral, a summer camp for children of wounded and disabled military families. “To think this started out as one camp and is now nine,” said Dolly Mercer, Director of Camp Corral. The Golden Corral family restaurant has been a long time supporter of the military and children’s hospital.
The inaugural camp hosted 300 children in its pilot program last year.