HELENA — Military members serve the nation daily, and for many veterans, that service does not stop when the uniform comes off.
"[It's] an intrinsic thought a lot of veterans have to continue serving their communities," said VFW Post 10010 member Eric Dunn.
On Monday afternoon, you can find him at the VFW Post 10010 collecting items for a donation drive for the Fort Harrison VA Medical Center's pantry.
Taking in items like canned food, deodorant, and clothing, this kind of volunteerism got the attention of the national VFW, which is honoring Dunn for its #StillServing campaign.
Dunn said, "I happened to be the one who picked dates for things or lined up a contact for a community clean-up, but I'm not the one sole guy that does this. This is an entire post of people that help out."
He has led the VFW National Day of Service at Post 10010 for the last two years.
He is an Iraq War veteran who served four years in the Marine Corps infantry as a corporal, and a career firefighter for the City of Helena and has been a member of VFW Post 10010 since 2021.
"I think there is a stigma in the community where too many people see this as a bar, not something that actually gives. To be able to forward that message and let people know that when you do come in and support the VFW, you don't just support the VFW, you support the community at large," said Dunn.
He says that volunteering alongside people who have had similar experiences to him has helped fill a void in his life since leaving the military.
Dunn said, "When I left the military, I went through a transition where I was lost for a few years. I didn't know where to give, what to do, what direction to move in. One thing the VFW likes to do is provide that mission to our veterans."
VFW Post 10010 hopes to make the donation drive a bi-annual event in the spring and fall.
When the Post conducted the drive last year, donations were estimated to be worth around $1,200.
You can drop donations for the current drive at VFW Post 10010 until July 29th.
