LOUISVILLE, Ky. — For one veteran, Christmas isn’t just a time to exchange gifts, it's about making sure fellow service members are taken care of and that's exactly what Debbie Sawyer is doing.
Sawyer took time out of her day Thursday to serve meals to veterans at the Marine House but what you wouldn’t know is Sawyer could easily be on the other side of the table receiving the meal.
“Like so many people after 9/11 I just needed some way to contribute, you know patriotism was very strong after that and I had been searching for ways to help out,” Sawyer said.
Sawyer joined the service in 2006 serving in both the Army and National Guard and is now in the reserves. In desperate need of boots on the ground, the age limit was raised and Sawyer was then later deployed to Afghanistan.
“In 2012 as a 45-year-old middle aged grandma I found myself with a weapon strapped on my back and a rucksack and on the plane headed over,” Sawyer said.
Now Sawyer spends her time as both a volunteer and member at The Veteran’s Club, planning events like the first women’s veterans retreat.
“Even now showing up to try and get services at a VA facility and they are assumed that they are a spouse instead of assuming first they're the veteran and so providing opportunities that say hey this is specific for female veterans allows them the freedom to show up,” Sawyer said.
Why she's thankful for events like the second annual Veteran’s Club Christmas celebration.
“I volunteer because I'm an outreach coordinator, I work for the VA, a mental health counseling facility and even though we are in the mental health services, we are closed on all the important days that veterans need to be with other veterans,” Sawyer said.
A chance for veterans, first responders and families to have a place to go with those who share similar experiences.
Jeremy Harrell, founder and CEO of The Veteran’s Club Inc. said 60 to 80 individuals were expected to attend the event.
“So families serve too, the spouse and children they move with the veteran, they move with the active duty service member and they have to adjust and adapt and overcome so we want them to be involved as well and talk to other children,” Harrell said.
The Veteran’s Club also provided winter clothing for veterans and families who were in need of extra supplies this holiday season. The Veteran’s Club is also planning to make another trip to areas in Western Kentucky hit hard by the tornado to bring supplies and volunteer where needed after the new year.