Veterans living at Brickmont Assisted Living in Woodstock, Georgia, have a “Veterans Resource Reading Area” thanks to members of VFW Post 12002 in nearby Alpharetta.
Past Post Chaplain Dennis Parmer said that when he established the reading area in June, he did it so that VFW would be represented each day at the facility.
“We wanted to do something to keep us in their minds,” Parmer said. “And also, that they know we are always thinking about them.”
Post members save past issues of VFW and American Legion magazines, which are then put in an area at Brickmont designated as VFW Post 12002 Veterans Resource Reading Area. Incidentally, the
Alpharetta Post is home to VFW Junior Vice Commander-in-Chief Al Lipphardt.
Parmer, a retired Army first sergeant, said he often goes to the home in his military uniform to talk with the veterans about how the military has changed since those vets served.
“They love having the conversations about how things used to be,” Parmer said. “We talk about soldiers getting tattoos, female soldiers wearing fingernail polish and new military vehicles.”
Parmer said the stacks of magazines are available to veterans 24 hours a day and provide articles on topics they may not find in other publications.
“We have had a great response to this,” said Parmer, who served in 2003 with the 101st Airborne Division in Mosul, Iraq, in addition to numerous other overseas deployments during his 27-year Army career. “To make this more personal, I put their names and former ranks on a board in the resource area. Our veterans do not want to be forgotten.”
According to Parmer, Brickmont Activities Director Evette O’Neal said the veterans “are very excited” when they hear that Parmer is coming for a visit.
“We hope this is an area that Brickmont veterans can enjoy for many years,” Parmer said.
This article is featured in the 2022 November/December issue of VFW magazine, and was written by Janie Dyhouse, senior editor for VFW magazine.