Patriotic ConnectVETS charity rises above politics
In an emotional and fervently contested election year when a controversial war can divide a nation and challenge definitions of patriotism, that subject just hasn't come up in these suburban businesswomen's discussions.
"It was not a conscious effort, but I'm very happy it is that way," says Emily Garrity, president of ConnectVETS, a new charity based in Libertyville working to help military veterans from all eras find jobs.
"Honestly, we've never talked about it. It really doesn't matter," says Beth Keno, secretary of the agency.
Garrity, Keno and fellow board members Diana Quinn and Betty Nissen don't know each other's politics, and don't care.
"The focus is the veterans, the people, not the war," explains Garrity, who founded and runs a business information service called Great Lakes Records Management and describes herself as "a suburban empty-nester mom in her 40s."
"It's really the passion for the veteran that is driving this," says Nissen, a 47-year Island Lake woman who has been working with homeless veterans for more than four years at Transitional Living Services in Hebron.
Garrity says she came up with the idea for ConnectVETS while talking with her husband, Tom. Garrity, Quinn, Keno and Nissen are well-connected business leaders with talents suited to networking for veterans.
"OK, I'm from the South, and I didn't know anything about networking," says James Wright, a 36-year-old police officer and National Guard member who had trouble finding a job when he came to Chicago with his new wife after spending a year in Iraq. Being unemployed was tough, but not the most difficult thing he's survived.
"My vehicle was hit by two roadside bombs in one day," Wright says of his Iraq duty, noting that until April 5, 2004, "the only thing we had was a sniper take three potshots at us."
The ability to adapt, work as a team and do the task at hand while literally under fire is a skill many veterans will find useful in the business world, says Peter Stockslager, a financial adviser who mentors veterans who come to ConnectVETS.
"I'm a veteran myself of two tours in Vietnam … and reaching out and supporting veterans is important to me," says Stockslager, a 62-year Air Force veteran who spent two years of his youth in one of those F-4 phantom jets that were the workhorse of the Vietnam War.
ConnectVETS mentors help with résumés, job interviews, schooling, training and other skills helpful in a tough job market.
"They helped me build my confidence," Wright says. "They looked at my résumé and said, you can do this, this, this, and this -- things I never even thought about."
They also teach vets to "get away from military jargon and use regular talk," adds Wright, who earned a part-time job with the Winthrop Harbor Police Department and is working toward becoming a full-time officer.
Having gotten their official tax-free charity status last month, the women immediately discovered how much their services were needed when 70 veterans signed up for help at a local job fair. Now they are looking for more volunteers, potential employers and donations, such as this week's $2,500 donation made by TDS Metrocom, a telecommunications firm with headquarters in Wisconsin.
For more information, go to www.connectvets.org.
And remember, it doesn't matter if you support Barack Obama, Hillary Clinton or John McCain; want our troops home from Iraq today or would support an attack on Iran tomorrow. It's all about the veterans.
"They gave their all for us." Garrity says. "It's our turn to give back to them."