Hold 'Em for Heroes event helps to end veterans homelessness

District 2 of the American Legion Department of Kansas is once again providing housing and holistic healing services to homeless veterans in the Kansas City metro area through its fourth annual Hold ‘Em for Heroes fundraiser.

The charity event will be held Saturday, Feb. 22, where 100 percent of proceeds will benefit the local Veterans Community Project (VCP ) and The Battle Within (a free five day retreat), as well as other veterans service organizations. Hold ‘Em for Heroes will consist of a poker tournament, raffle drawings, 50/50 cash raffle, live auction, all you can eat taco bar, a tiny home tour and guest speakers, such as Jeremiah Bull.

The fundraiser was started by Bull, a member of American Legion LeRoy Hill Post 19 in Gardner, Kan., who wanted to do something for his birthday party to benefit area veterans. Teaming up with Sons of The American Legion Squadron 19 member Robert Carver, the pair decided to do a Texas hold ‘em tournament and make a local nonprofit the beneficiary.

In three years, the Hold ‘Em for Heroes fundraiser has raised more than $46,000 for VCP, which builds tiny-communities for homeless veterans.

“People go down range and probably encounter some things that you’d never want to encounter in life," Bull said. "You come back and you fall on hard times, and sometimes people fall through the cracks and end up on the street. We’re trying to be proactive in Kansas City and see what we can do about ending veteran homelessness.”

The Hold ‘Em for Heroes event kicks off at 1 p.m. at VFW Post 6334, 33725 W. 84th Street, De Soto, KS, 66018. For more information, visit www.holdem4heroes-kc.org/.

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