ST. GEORGE – The St. George Vet Center hosted representatives of the Phoenix branch of the Wounded Warrior Project on Thursday who came to discuss the group, its mission, and potential in Washington County.
“There are 19 different programs and services we offer,”Alumni Outreach Coordinator Quentin Irion said for the project. “We started off as a backpack program. The nonprofit has been around since 2004 and this is our 10 year anniversary this year.”
Engagement is the majority of what the group does, Irion said. Their warriors are referred to as alumni because it is all-inclusive. One of the organization’s main missions is to get alumni out of the house, engaging, and networking – not only with other alumni but with members of the community.
The program also assists with job placement, child care, education, and services for family members of alumni.
“Right now we are in the process of getting our name out there,” Irion said. “We are known in the more metropotion areas, but have not had a real presence in the more rural areas.”
The program is not set to replace existing elements like Vet Centers, but is meant to enhance them.
“If there is a service the centers don’t offer that we can, we will bring it in at no cost to the center,” Irion said.
Stephen Clark of St George, and a recent veteran of the Iraq war said he was excited to see this program coming to St George.
“I hope the people here today, as well as the citizens of Washington County, really turn out in support of these events that come down the road,” Clark said.
“Coming out, talking to someone, and sharing your time with them, makes the biggest difference to someone,” Irion said. “The sky is the limit as far as events go, it could be a barbecue or skydiving.”
The Wounded Warrior Project is looking for submissions from people in the area for ideas on events that could occur in Washington County. They encourage people to contact the project and speak to them, but remind people they have to have consent from the group before they can call an event a Wounded Warrior Project.
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I’m not really impressed with how money is spent by the Wounded Warrior project. The ratio of money spent on administration is cause for alarm. As a veteran I gave to this project numerous times until I read an article then did some research. Read Charity Navigator.org for unbiased truths.