Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
I got to tell you that I have some great
news for you right now. Something that always warms my
heart is us always trying to do the best that
we can to think about how to help the veterans
of this country and to do that, we are going
to be talking about giving Veterans Day baskets to vets.
And joining us on the phone line are Julie and Ed.
We're going to tell us all about this. Guys, thanks
(00:21):
so much for listening to or being a part of
our show, and I just listened to it, but actually
being on with me today, Yeah, thanks to Hemriy, thanks.
Speaker 2 (00:28):
For having us on.
Speaker 1 (00:29):
Yeah. So I'll start with you, Julie. Can you tell
me a little bit obviously, you know we talk about
this as an organization. You're with the Omaha Federal Credit Union,
and we look at this as a very important time
of the year for us to not forget about our veterans.
Tell me about the idea here that we're talking about
with the Veterans' baskets.
Speaker 2 (00:48):
Well, we started this. This will be our fourth year. Amazingly,
I don't know if Ed and I ever thought it
would like continue to grow like it has, But it
started as a very very simple grassroots project to get
back to vets in Washington County. That's where Ed is
a Veteran Services officer and he works with all the
(01:13):
vets and those them personally out there in Washington County.
And I just kind of came up with an idea
for a community service and here we are four years later,
and it's all in an effort to honor and think
vets and give something back to them and go and visit,
shakes their hand, let them know that we care about
(01:35):
their service and their sacrifice.
Speaker 1 (01:38):
Ed Ed law Trip just joining us see as well,
Washington County Veteran Services officer. As Julie mentioned there, can
you explain kind of the response that you've gotten over
the first few years of this ad. As you know,
people have been donating this and showing their appreciation for
the sacrifices that have been made by these veterans in
Washington County.
Speaker 3 (02:00):
One thing, and I'm going to go back to the
year we started, which was a COVID year, and if
you remember, a lot of these folks in the assisted
living in skilled nursing facilities were kind of locked down.
And when we started this and talked, we wanted to
do something to show those folks that they weren't forgotten
(02:21):
and people were still thinking about them as Veterans Day
was coming around, and as we go in the homes
and the back gets are you know, a great, big
gift or an expensive gift is they're a smaller gift,
but it shows that people care and are thinking about
them and are appreciative of the service they provide it
to our country. And usually we're greeted with, you know,
(02:44):
smiles and and and the ability to get to set
and talk with these guys is overwhelming sometimes guys and girls,
I should say, because there are there are female veterans
out there in these homes.
Speaker 1 (02:56):
Also, Yeah, Julie, I look at this and kind of
it's a good time to reflect on this because you know,
we are just a couple of weeks away from Veterans
Day and there are I think it's hard for you
to find somebody that doesn't have a veteran somewhere in
their family or some experience with them, if not very directly.
(03:17):
From your perspective, what has you know, from a giving
type perspective, what has been the response from the people
over the last few years as this has grown, and
what do you tell people about the experiences that you've
had in making the day of so many veterans in Nebraska.
Speaker 2 (03:34):
Yeah, Lake, I said, the response has been great. We've
grown so many more volunteer help. When we stuff all
the baskets, we have kind of a basket stuff in parts.
Party head comes and several of our other folks that
are volunteers or retired veterans come, and the overall feelings
(04:00):
from them is it's just it's heartwarming to give back.
And you know, a lot of these bets that we
see are they're pretty up there, you know, seventies eighties.
Some of them you know, probably don't even have a
lot of family, and some of them are widows or widowers,
(04:23):
and I think that they just enjoy seeing somebody new
and you know, experiencing something new, seeing what's in the
bags you know, we have, Like I said, they're very
inexpensive pieces of tablets and crossword puzzles and chapstick and
lotion and and so people have really you know, there's
(04:47):
two sides of it. Folks that want to actually go
out and buy items, they love to do that. It's
a way that they can, you know, give back. And
then we have the other side of folks that you know,
want to provide funds, and from all accounts you know
that I have heard, it's been a great experience for them,
(05:09):
and I think that we've also had the great advantage
of them sharing that with others because just the amount
of interest that we've gotten from Hey, you know, would
you guys be interested in some books that I'm done reading.
I want to get them out of myself and give
them to somebody that would would love to read, you know.
And a lot of these things that we have in
(05:30):
the bags are things that can pass the time and
make you know, make things fun and help them interact
with each other, you know, with games and things. So yeah,
overall positive, very positive.
Speaker 1 (05:43):
So ed, how can people donate? I know that Julie
kind of alluded to some things that people do here,
but how can people be a part of this year's
efforts here? I know you guys are kind of running
a long time.
Speaker 3 (05:52):
Yeah, we're putting bags together on Monday before. They can
surely help us put bags together. Very interested at but
they can still donate some items looking for playing cards
and smacks and calendars, whose breasts to pay? Crossword puzzles,
or work searches, that kind of stuff, anything that could
(06:13):
be used to like you said, pack the time, and
then anything patriotic. We like to stick some red, white
and blue stuff into the bag so they can wave
their flags a little bit that day also, But they
can contact either Julie or myself and uh, we'll discuss
how they could help with our programs for sure.
Speaker 1 (06:35):
Last thing, Julie, is there a best case way for
you guys to be contacted or is there a place
that people can go with items or with their funds
if they'd like to donate.
Speaker 2 (06:46):
Yeah, This Friday, I'll ever first is kind of the
last day to either bring items in. We have three branches,
one downtown. Our main branch here three zero zero South
eighty second AB. It's about a block south of eighty
second and Center, and we have a box that people
(07:08):
can come in and bring items if they'd like. They
certainly can ask for me and we can chat about
doing any type of volunteer stuff. They can go through
our teller lines or they can go through the drive
through drop off a check. Checks can be made out
to Omaha Federal Credit Union. And the great thing is
one hundred percent of everything that we get goes into
(07:32):
the bag, purchases and everything in it. So I think
that's kind of a great thing that Ed and I
kind of want to stay true to is you know,
one hundred percent of everything goes back to the VET
so people can feel comfortable about that.
Speaker 1 (07:47):
Yeah. Absolutely, Omaha, Federal Credit Union, Julie Gasper with them
and with the Washington County Veteran Services Officer, ED Lawtrip guys,
thanks so much for this. Thanks for what you guys do.
This is such a great idea and it's such an
easy way for us to be able to help out
as well. Thanks for joining us in good luck with
the baskets this year.
Speaker 2 (08:06):
Thanks so much, Emory.
Speaker 1 (08:07):
All Right, that is a heck of a story. Absolutely
love to hear that. Love to hear people doing things
for our veterans, especially the elderly veterans who have sacrificed
so much for our nation. Three forty seven, let's give
away some f's coming up next. Light in the Mood
on news radio eleven ten kfab.
Speaker 3 (08:24):
Emery Sunger on news radio eleven ten kfab
I got to tell you that I have some great
news for you right now. Something that always warms my
heart is us always trying to do the best that
we can to think about how to help the veterans
of this country and to do that, we are going
to be talking about giving Veterans Day baskets to vets.
And joining us on the phone line are Julie and Ed.
We're going to tell us all about this. Guys, thanks
(00:21):
so much for listening to or being a part of
our show, and I just listened to it, but actually
being on with me today, Yeah, thanks to Hemriy, thanks.
Speaker 2 (00:28):
For having us on.
Speaker 1 (00:29):
Yeah. So I'll start with you, Julie. Can you tell
me a little bit obviously, you know we talk about
this as an organization. You're with the Omaha Federal Credit Union,
and we look at this as a very important time
of the year for us to not forget about our veterans.
Tell me about the idea here that we're talking about
with the Veterans' baskets.
Speaker 2 (00:48):
Well, we started this. This will be our fourth year. Amazingly,
I don't know if Ed and I ever thought it
would like continue to grow like it has, But it
started as a very very simple grassroots project to get
back to vets in Washington County. That's where Ed is
a Veteran Services officer and he works with all the
(01:13):
vets and those them personally out there in Washington County.
And I just kind of came up with an idea
for a community service and here we are four years later,
and it's all in an effort to honor and think
vets and give something back to them and go and visit,
shakes their hand, let them know that we care about
(01:35):
their service and their sacrifice.
Speaker 1 (01:38):
Ed Ed law Trip just joining us see as well,
Washington County Veteran Services officer. As Julie mentioned there, can
you explain kind of the response that you've gotten over
the first few years of this ad. As you know,
people have been donating this and showing their appreciation for
the sacrifices that have been made by these veterans in
Washington County.
Speaker 3 (02:00):
One thing, and I'm going to go back to the
year we started, which was a COVID year, and if
you remember, a lot of these folks in the assisted
living in skilled nursing facilities were kind of locked down.
And when we started this and talked, we wanted to
do something to show those folks that they weren't forgotten
(02:21):
and people were still thinking about them as Veterans Day
was coming around, and as we go in the homes
and the back gets are you know, a great, big
gift or an expensive gift is they're a smaller gift,
but it shows that people care and are thinking about
them and are appreciative of the service they provide it
to our country. And usually we're greeted with, you know,
(02:44):
smiles and and and the ability to get to set
and talk with these guys is overwhelming sometimes guys and girls,
I should say, because there are there are female veterans
out there in these homes.
Speaker 1 (02:56):
Also, Yeah, Julie, I look at this and kind of
it's a good time to reflect on this because you know,
we are just a couple of weeks away from Veterans
Day and there are I think it's hard for you
to find somebody that doesn't have a veteran somewhere in
their family or some experience with them, if not very directly.
(03:17):
From your perspective, what has you know, from a giving
type perspective, what has been the response from the people
over the last few years as this has grown, and
what do you tell people about the experiences that you've
had in making the day of so many veterans in Nebraska.
Speaker 2 (03:34):
Yeah, Lake, I said, the response has been great. We've
grown so many more volunteer help. When we stuff all
the baskets, we have kind of a basket stuff in parts.
Party head comes and several of our other folks that
are volunteers or retired veterans come, and the overall feelings
(04:00):
from them is it's just it's heartwarming to give back.
And you know, a lot of these bets that we
see are they're pretty up there, you know, seventies eighties.
Some of them you know, probably don't even have a
lot of family, and some of them are widows or widowers,
(04:23):
and I think that they just enjoy seeing somebody new
and you know, experiencing something new, seeing what's in the
bags you know, we have, Like I said, they're very
inexpensive pieces of tablets and crossword puzzles and chapstick and
lotion and and so people have really you know, there's
(04:47):
two sides of it. Folks that want to actually go
out and buy items, they love to do that. It's
a way that they can, you know, give back. And
then we have the other side of folks that you know,
want to provide funds, and from all accounts you know
that I have heard, it's been a great experience for them,
(05:09):
and I think that we've also had the great advantage
of them sharing that with others because just the amount
of interest that we've gotten from Hey, you know, would
you guys be interested in some books that I'm done reading.
I want to get them out of myself and give
them to somebody that would would love to read, you know.
And a lot of these things that we have in
(05:30):
the bags are things that can pass the time and
make you know, make things fun and help them interact
with each other, you know, with games and things. So yeah,
overall positive, very positive.
Speaker 1 (05:43):
So ed, how can people donate? I know that Julie
kind of alluded to some things that people do here,
but how can people be a part of this year's
efforts here? I know you guys are kind of running
a long time.
Speaker 3 (05:52):
Yeah, we're putting bags together on Monday before. They can
surely help us put bags together. Very interested at but
they can still donate some items looking for playing cards
and smacks and calendars, whose breasts to pay? Crossword puzzles,
or work searches, that kind of stuff, anything that could
(06:13):
be used to like you said, pack the time, and
then anything patriotic. We like to stick some red, white
and blue stuff into the bag so they can wave
their flags a little bit that day also, But they
can contact either Julie or myself and uh, we'll discuss
how they could help with our programs for sure.
Speaker 1 (06:35):
Last thing, Julie, is there a best case way for
you guys to be contacted or is there a place
that people can go with items or with their funds
if they'd like to donate.
Speaker 2 (06:46):
Yeah, This Friday, I'll ever first is kind of the
last day to either bring items in. We have three branches,
one downtown. Our main branch here three zero zero South
eighty second AB. It's about a block south of eighty
second and Center, and we have a box that people
(07:08):
can come in and bring items if they'd like. They
certainly can ask for me and we can chat about
doing any type of volunteer stuff. They can go through
our teller lines or they can go through the drive
through drop off a check. Checks can be made out
to Omaha Federal Credit Union. And the great thing is
one hundred percent of everything that we get goes into
(07:32):
the bag, purchases and everything in it. So I think
that's kind of a great thing that Ed and I
kind of want to stay true to is you know,
one hundred percent of everything goes back to the VET
so people can feel comfortable about that.
Speaker 1 (07:47):
Yeah. Absolutely, Omaha, Federal Credit Union, Julie Gasper with them
and with the Washington County Veteran Services Officer, ED Lawtrip guys,
thanks so much for this. Thanks for what you guys do.
This is such a great idea and it's such an
easy way for us to be able to help out
as well. Thanks for joining us in good luck with
the baskets this year.
Speaker 2 (08:06):
Thanks so much, Emory.
Speaker 1 (08:07):
All Right, that is a heck of a story. Absolutely
love to hear that. Love to hear people doing things
for our veterans, especially the elderly veterans who have sacrificed
so much for our nation. Three forty seven, let's give
away some f's coming up next. Light in the Mood
on news radio eleven ten kfab.
Speaker 3 (08:24):
Emery Sunger on news radio eleven ten kfab
Popular Podcasts
On Purpose with Jay Shetty
I’m Jay Shetty host of On Purpose the worlds #1 Mental Health podcast and I’m so grateful you found us. I started this podcast 5 years ago to invite you into conversations and workshops that are designed to help make you happier, healthier and more healed. I believe that when you (yes you) feel seen, heard and understood you’re able to deal with relationship struggles, work challenges and life’s ups and downs with more ease and grace. I interview experts, celebrities, thought leaders and athletes so that we can grow our mindset, build better habits and uncover a side of them we’ve never seen before. New episodes every Monday and Friday. Your support means the world to me and I don’t take it for granted — click the follow button and leave a review to help us spread the love with On Purpose. I can’t wait for you to listen to your first or 500th episode!
Dateline NBC
Current and classic episodes, featuring compelling true-crime mysteries, powerful documentaries and in-depth investigations. Special Summer Offer: Exclusively on Apple Podcasts, try our Dateline Premium subscription completely free for one month! With Dateline Premium, you get every episode ad-free plus exclusive bonus content.
24/7 News: The Latest
The latest news in 4 minutes updated every hour, every day.