May 24, 2025 • 32 mins
Talked with Mike Durkee, US Army Combat Veteran, Executive Director, Wounded Veterans Relief Fund. "Wounded Veterans Relief Fund is a non-profit organization that supports wounded and disabled veterans throughout Florida with one-time emergency financial support and critical dental care. We are a VA affiliate and work hand-in-hand with VA team members to provide veterans with the care and resources needed to ease the burden of financial strain that often accompanies disabilities incurred during military service." WVRF has a lot of great events/fundraisers coming up.
Cox Science Center & Aquarium Hometown Heroes Event Saturday, June 21st, 2025, 13th Annual Treasure Coast Bonito Blast Friday-Saturday, August 8th-9th, 2025 Pirates Cove Resort and Marina, 4307 SE Bayview St, Stuart FL 34997, and the Devil Dog 5k/10k Sunday, September 28th, 2025 7:30AM South County Regional Park. For more info, to become a volunteer or sponsor, listeners can go to www.wvrf.org.
Cox Science Center & Aquarium Hometown Heroes Event Saturday, June 21st, 2025, 13th Annual Treasure Coast Bonito Blast Friday-Saturday, August 8th-9th, 2025 Pirates Cove Resort and Marina, 4307 SE Bayview St, Stuart FL 34997, and the Devil Dog 5k/10k Sunday, September 28th, 2025 7:30AM South County Regional Park. For more info, to become a volunteer or sponsor, listeners can go to www.wvrf.org.
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:01):
iHeart Communities presents Palm Beach Treasure Coast Perspective which dead NEP.
Speaker 2 (00:06):
Good morning, Welcome to Palm Beach Treasure Coast Perspective. I'm
your host dev Net. Thanks for spending your weekend with me.
All kinds of great things going on. Don't forget there
is still time to register your kids for summer camps
happening at the Oxpo Eco Center, So lots of cool
ones going on. This is a Oxpo Artchery, so archery
so finding I love it. No experience required for this.
(00:29):
It's going to be happening from June sixteenth through the twentieth,
nine am to five pm, and it's for kids going
into grades nine through twelve. The different campers are going
to learn the fundamentals of archery, expend their art skills
as well, some hands on projects, lots of fun things,
and of course focus on Florida's natural ecosystems and stuff
like that. All the equipment it's provided in the camp fee.
(00:52):
Then July fourteenth through the eighteenth, nine to five also
for the same age group kids entering nine through twelve
is preserved. And this is like more like service hands on,
like getting your hands on with the nature and stuff
like that and doing those kind of projects. I think
it's cool helping to restore the fragile ecosystems. So lots
(01:12):
of good stuff happening. Simply go to oxpoecho dot com
or you can give them call seven seven to two
seven eight five fifty eight thirty three and they're happy
to fill you in on all that kind of stuff
and of course more fun things for coming up for
the summer. Saint Lucy County Libraries have got all kinds
of coo stuff. They have family stuff, they've got like
individual programs, but of course they're just getting ready to
(01:34):
start off their summer reading challenge. And this is good
for all ages. So if you've got like a little baby,
mom and dad are reading to them, and then it
gets more age appropriate as they go up, so the
grownups can read for themselves, read for the kids. All
kinds of fun things. And of course, so like Daily suggests,
you're reading times. Its pre k is like ten minutes,
(01:55):
kindergarten through fifth grade fifteen minutes, middle school twenty minutes,
and so it's gonna be a lot of fun. Definitely
call them seven seven to two four six two seventeen
ninety one, so I like this one. It's just a
love on this year is the theme is read books
and explore new worlds. So that diet I definite agree
that the book's always open you up to all kinds of
(02:16):
cool adventures without ever having to leave your home. I
think it's fantastic. Our reminder, flaglar Museum is offering freed
mission on Founder's Day and that is from ten to
five pm on June fifth, So if you've never been
to the Flagleran Museum upon Beach, check it out that day.
So amazing. Just a beautiful, beautiful Gilded Age era at home.
(02:38):
Good thing to check out. Speaking of beautiful, Army Art
Center has got a lot of great art exhibitions going
on right now. They have a new one that's called
Exploring the Brain, Health and Mental well Being. So we
just wrapped up, of course mental Health Awareness Month for May,
but of course an ongoing thing you want to be
aware of that. So I think not one called before
I Forget Braveheart is doing one lots of cool things
(03:03):
ways to help raising awareness of the community, focusing on
like memory loss caregiver experience. A lot of folks are
going through that right now, and so some they go
to Armoryart dot org and you can find out more
about those exhibitions. And they also have of course lots
of classes that you can take, like you can you
and your kids can take a class, the kids can
(03:25):
do a summer camp there by themselves. Lots of fun
community things. My friend and her mom go and do,
like the jewelry making and they have a lot of fun.
So I definitely recommend that. Oh and if I've not,
then this is just amazing. I've done this. I definitely
recommend it. It is the Nighttime Sea Turtle Walk, so
Saint Lucie County's hosting it. It's going on now through
(03:48):
November fifteenth. It is limited to twenty five people per
session because you have to be respectful of the turtles
and everything. The walk start at eight forty five pm
and then there's a presentation. They last up until like
eleven pm ish, depending on like the turtle and the
time and everything, because you do not disrupt the process
(04:10):
at all, you just wait. It truly is such an
amazing thing. For the cost of person is thirteen thirty nine.
You do need to register. I'll go to the event
bright or you can reach out to Eric seven seven
to two four six two, seventeen ninety one and you
can give you more details on that. And then later
on they do the walk where the turtles are hatching,
(04:31):
so you get to watch the hatching's got to the sea.
So I have yet to do that part of it.
That that's definitely on my list to check out. I
think that's gonna be so incredibly fine. And of course
don't forget coming up on June seventeenth, the Spady Cultural
Museum is part of their one hundred year celebration, is
hosting a big June teenth Spady House party and that's
(04:52):
gonna be Dower Beach. Of course, they have lots of
cool events happening. Definitely want to check that out, and
if you haven't been, when you go, they have a
like a bus tour the area, do the Little History Tour.
It's air conditioned, folks, so it's a great way to
check it out. And of course they have lots of
fun exhibitions going on in the museum itself, and they
have a nice gift shop and stuff online, so definitely
(05:12):
check them out and help support them. And then of
course don't forget summer at the Norton is going on
lots of cool things, and they're doing anything on Juneteenth
for Juneteenth as well. It's their Juneteenth Community Day and
it is Saturday, June fourteenth. Saturday June fourteenth, Freedmission for everybody,
come in check out all the different exhibitions. They've got
(05:34):
a lot of really cool ones running throughout the summer.
And of course if you live in West Palm Beach
Freedmission the first Saturday of the month and then through
the summer if you're in Palm Beach County, Freed Mission
on Saturdays. So the new program they're offering this summer
for the Norton, So it's really cool. Go to Norton
dot org. All the different exhibitions and stuff for this
(05:54):
there and like who the person is coming for like
art after dark on Friday, and of course the first
art after dark on Friday every month is Jazz Night,
So if you're jazz fan, that's a good place to
go see some live jazz. Also, good live jazz place
is Delray Beach Arts Grudge. They've lots of fun things there.
They have the comedy Night, they've got poetry Night, a
lot of fun like musical acts coming through, as well
(06:15):
as some theater and a couple of free exhibitions in
their different galleries happening as well more music and fun
at the Gravis Center. Today June first is their Cravis
Center Dream Awards and they're celebrating the high school musical
theater excellence, So come on out support all the kids
at seven o'clock. I definitely check that out. Nicki Glaser
coming for a live and unwell comedy tour June seventh
(06:38):
through June eighth, and then they have coming up eight
too Proud, The Life and Times of the Temptation, a
great musical presentation thereout the summer June twenty fourth through
June twenty ninth. And if you're interested in becoming a
volunteer at the Cravist, they are always looking for help,
and the summers a good time to do because they're
just a little bit slower, so you reach out to
them five six, one, eight three two show or you
(06:59):
can go to dot org. All the details are there
for you. And of course another reminder, City Fort Pierce
is launching a bunch of free community workshop series, so
coming up June twenty fourth is the Pest Mitigation Workshop.
How you can deal with that without causing damage to
the environment and you know, the runoff into the streams
(07:19):
and effect water quality and stuff. Then on June twenty
six is Know your Rights as a Tenant Part one
for info, reach out to Caitlin seven seven to two,
seven four to two, nine, eight three five or seven
seven two four six seven thirty one sixty one and
she'll get back to speaking of getting more information. I
(07:40):
want to welcome my guest for today. I have Mike
Jurkey from the Wounded Veterans Relief Fund.
Speaker 3 (07:45):
Good morning, Good morning, deb, Good to see you again.
Speaker 2 (07:48):
Good to see you, Thanks for coming back in so
a lot of people moved into the area since we
last chatted. Sure tell the listeners and I what is
the Wounded Veterans Relief Fund, Like, how did it come
to be?
Speaker 4 (07:58):
Yeah, So we were still plished back in two thousand
and nine, and at that time we were providing you know,
emergency financial assistance and you know, and that over time
has now you know, morphed I guess into not just
their urgent financial assistance but also the critical dental assistants
(08:20):
as well. So we've added new programs to our organization
which we found these were areas where there were major
gaps in you know, in funding and you know, in
service for our veterans well.
Speaker 2 (08:36):
And that's good though. So I think that's what charities
should do, right. They meet a need in the community
and they grow as the needs in the community.
Speaker 3 (08:44):
Grow, exactly.
Speaker 4 (08:46):
And we work with all the vas you know in
the state of Florida and all the social workers, all
the county Veterans Service officers. So a big shout out
to all the social workers out there that support our veterans,
you know, and you know, we talked to them and
they let us know, you know what, you know, what
services veterans need the most. And that's how the critical
(09:08):
Dental Assistance Program came about because you know, a lot
of veterans needed dental health. Eighty five percent of veterans
do not receive dental care through the VA, and a
lot of people do not know that, you know, I
did not know that. Yeah, So a lot of times,
you know, people think that the VA takes care of
everything for veterans, and that's not and that is not
(09:29):
the truth, you know what I mean. So like vision
visions another thing that you know, a lot of veterans
do not receive. But you know, dental health is extremely important,
not just for veterans but for everyone, you know, because
it can have a negative effect on your overall overall health.
Speaker 3 (09:49):
Right.
Speaker 2 (09:49):
Oh yeah, years ago I saw I remember seeing driving
and seeing the billboard. Yeah it says and it says
no insurance, right, just fluss right, yeah, right, really that's it, yeah,
because so much of that happens. You know, when you
eat and stuff you can bring in those germs without
knowing or whatever.
Speaker 4 (10:06):
Absolutely dev I mean, you know, the your mouth is
your gateway to your body, right, and so you know
there's a lot of times you'll have to take medication,
right and it has to be sublingual hight.
Speaker 2 (10:18):
Whah Yeah, why do you do that?
Speaker 3 (10:21):
Right?
Speaker 4 (10:22):
Because it's a it goes right into your bloodstream, you know, right,
So so you know, another thing too is cardiovascular disease.
A lot of it comes from poor dental health. So
if if you have bacteria in your mouth and that
and that bacteria constantly goes into your bloodstream, that will
attack your overall cardiovascular system and cause all kinds of
(10:45):
havoc on your you know, on your on your body. Also,
when you think about it, you know, poor dental health
and uh, let's say you're missing a bunch of teeth. Well,
you know that's a barrier to employment badly.
Speaker 2 (10:59):
We are very visual people, very much.
Speaker 4 (11:01):
So, and so we want to make sure that our
veterans are really set up for success for you know,
for the rest of their life. So by providing them this,
you know that don't care. Not only are we helping
them with their overall health but their mental health, but
also giving them again, you know, breaking down the barriers
(11:21):
for better employment, for them to be out with people,
networking and so forth. That really, you know, makes you
successful in life.
Speaker 3 (11:30):
Oh.
Speaker 2 (11:30):
Absolutely, I was just thinking you don't have enough tea,
you can't get good nutrition. I wasn't even thinking about
the barriage. You're getting a job. Good. I'm so glad
you're looking out for them like this. That's amazing. How
do people how do they qualify for the program?
Speaker 3 (11:44):
Right?
Speaker 4 (11:45):
So, like I said, you know, we work with all
the social workers you know, and also the County Veterans
Service officers in the state of Florida. So when veterans
fall on hard times, so let's for example, let's take
the urgent financial Assistance program that we have which really
combats homelessness, you know, keeps our veterans and their families
in their homes, but also helps veterans that are currently
(12:07):
homeless get off the streets. And we provide first lesson security,
you know, for those veterans you know that don't have
the money. The upfront costs that it and it's very expensive,
you know, that upfront cost to get into a place.
Speaker 2 (12:19):
Right, you think about it. If it's a three thousand
dollars a month rental, right, right, nine grand? Where are
you gonna come up that?
Speaker 3 (12:25):
I know? I mean, yeah, so if.
Speaker 2 (12:28):
I had nine grand, I'd be somewhere else.
Speaker 4 (12:32):
So yeah, so we you know, we help them get
into homes. We also help them out with their utilities,
get their utilities back online. Again, we help out with
car repairs, and sometimes you know, people donate their cars
to our organization and then we then give those cars
to veterans.
Speaker 2 (12:52):
So well that's great. So if you have a car
and you're getting a new car, rather get that maybe
one thousand and two thousand dollars trade in, right, they
can donate it to you guys, ride off on their
taxes and help out a veteran. I think that's a
great idea.
Speaker 3 (13:04):
It's great, it's really, it's wonderful.
Speaker 2 (13:06):
Did you a car donation? Would they call you? Is
there on the website?
Speaker 4 (13:10):
Yeah, they can just reach out to us through the
website and uh, and just there's a spot where they
can annotate where they would if they have a car,
they can just reach out to us and let us
know and you'll you'll call them and we'll call them back,
you know, you know, especially if we have veterans that
are are lined up, you know, to receive a car
because we all need transportation.
Speaker 3 (13:30):
You know.
Speaker 2 (13:31):
Oh. Absolutely. And I had a frien come to visit.
She lives in Washington, DC, so she uses public transportation
all the time. I was getting ready to go to work,
I'm like, do you want to drive to work with me?
Then you can have my car for the day. Oh no, no,
I'll take the bus. Right I get home from work
and she's still not back on the bus. She was
on that bus all day.
Speaker 3 (13:48):
Wow.
Speaker 2 (13:49):
It took her like what would be a ten minute
ride to the beach hour and a half two hours
one way to get there. She was like, I'm barring
your car tomorrow.
Speaker 3 (13:58):
Yeah.
Speaker 4 (13:59):
It's really it's really especially you know in Florida. You know,
it's not like you're up north right where you have
the metro, you got bus system and you get the
rail all kinds of stuff.
Speaker 2 (14:08):
So you know, that's something that's I think that definitely
a lot of the communities are trying to improve their
transportation systems.
Speaker 3 (14:15):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (14:15):
Yeah, it's just up north, it's like every five minutes
there's a bus on the corner. You can catch a bus.
Speaker 3 (14:20):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (14:21):
Here, it's like every couple hours you can catch a bus. Right,
it's stopping at every corner. So then it adds to
your travel time getting to work or wherever you're going.
Speaker 3 (14:29):
So yeah, I got some great news. Great.
Speaker 4 (14:32):
The great news is that, you know, Governor DeSantis about
two years ago signed into law or approved that there
would be money state money's allocated for for dental for veterans.
And it was approved, and so we're one of the
charities to receive some of that money in order to
(14:54):
help more veterans in the state of Florida with their
with their dental health.
Speaker 2 (14:58):
That is fantastic. I'm so and I'm glad you signed
that into a fact because obviously I need this very much.
Something is very much needed, but I know a lot
of dentists actually volunteer their time or work at a
reduced rate as well to help the dentists who want
to help out reach out to you.
Speaker 4 (15:14):
Yeah, So we started with one dental office right in
twenty twenty, and now we have over one hundred and
seventy dental offices in the state of Florida, which is amazing, right,
over three hundred dental partners. But you know, if there
are dentists out there that would love to, you know,
donate their services or even at a reduced cost, you know,
(15:37):
work with us, because we do have our own fee
schedule and we pay the you know, we pay the
dental office directly, but we do look at and then
we look at their treatment you know, the treatment plans
and so forth before we actually go ahead and commit
to you know, to the payment. But you know, the
dentists can can reach out to us. Go on our
(15:59):
website again and and you know they can submit Uh,
there's a form online and they can just submit it
and then we'll reach back out to them.
Speaker 2 (16:07):
So what is the website for folks to go to?
Speaker 3 (16:09):
Sure, it's w v r F.
Speaker 4 (16:11):
That's Wounded Veterans Relief Fund right w v r F
dot org and all of our info is on there.
There's information on our on our emergency financial assistance program
and also our critical dental assistance program. You can see
a couple of videos on there, a couple of testimonials
from a couple of our veterans that have gotten helped
(16:33):
through our organization.
Speaker 3 (16:35):
But we have.
Speaker 4 (16:36):
Forms on there that you know, you can fill out,
you can submit if you need to, if you want
to inquire about about more information about the about the programs.
And then also there's the state program as well. So
if a veteran is out there in need of some
dental work, you can go go to our website, go
to our dental page and there is the the state
(16:58):
funded program on there. There's the questionnaire. Just fill it
out to see if you qualify and uh and then
we'll get back to you.
Speaker 2 (17:06):
Oh very cool. Yeah, speaking of these, so the dentists
can volunteer their time, like I know a lot of
dentists offer like like an initial free office check throughout
the year. I know doctor Cohen does it down in
Lakeworth to check for mouth cancer. Yes, it's a free
thing because you need to catch that right away. So
there's lots of dentists offer that for free, just FYI
for folks in general. But if somebody wants to donate
(17:29):
money to wounded veterans, really fine, Yes you said, there's
a little thing where they can say where they want
it to go. So if somebody wants to donate towards
the dental program, because you got money from the state,
but I know it's not enough, because it's not enough,
it helps it, like it's enough to get the door open,
but to keep the door open, you need more folks
that help up. How do they donate money to?
Speaker 4 (17:48):
Yeah, and who knows if that state of funding is
going to be guaranteed right forever, So we don't know,
right So so yeah, so you can go on our
website and there's a there's a donate button right there.
And so after you look at all the different programs
and you can see the testimonials and if you feel
compelled that that you'd like to donate to our organization,
(18:09):
there's a donate button, like I said, And then you
can actually choose to donate to one program or if
you want to, if you want to just donate to
both programs, you can do that.
Speaker 2 (18:19):
As well, and just donate in general. The money can
be used correct or whatever you And I'm also for
the listeners to know. I think the key point that
you mentioned in the past is the money goes directly
to the vendor. It never goes to it doesn't go
to the veteran. Like if the light they'll needs paid,
you pay directly.
Speaker 4 (18:37):
Correct, Yes, it goes to the credit directly, does not
go to the veteran. So like let's say if the
power is out, we'll reach out to FPL and we'll
make that payment on behalf of the veteran and then
the FBL will will you know, turn the light back on,
which is great.
Speaker 3 (18:52):
You know.
Speaker 2 (18:52):
Yeah, I've always envisioned somebody in f PO saying, oh,
I got the payment and they click a switch.
Speaker 3 (18:56):
Right right, press the button. There you go.
Speaker 2 (18:58):
I quite sure how that works, but in my head
that works.
Speaker 4 (19:00):
But it's pretty pretty amazing though. You know, we had
a veteran who did not have lights or power to
his house for two weeks, two weeks in summer, so hot,
and he finally just said, you know, it broke down
and he said, I have to ask somebody for help.
So he reached out to a social worker, and the
social worker qualified him and got all the documents that
(19:25):
we needed and literally about forty five minutes later, the
power lights came back on and he called me and
his wife called me, called the office and they were
both crying on the other end of the phone, and
they were just like they just couldn't believe how quickly
we were able to get the power restored.
Speaker 2 (19:44):
That is awesome, But like.
Speaker 4 (19:46):
Many veterans, you know, we're so proud to even ask
for help that, you know, it's just that sometimes it's
a little.
Speaker 3 (19:52):
Too late, you know.
Speaker 4 (19:53):
And you know, I'm a veteran, right thirteen years army
and I was deployed to I RACK in Afghanistan, and
you know, with basic training and all of that, we're
taught to suffer, go through some suffering, right because it's
all about the mission getting it done.
Speaker 3 (20:11):
And so a lot of times.
Speaker 4 (20:13):
We choose other people, you know, we try to make
their lives better instead of our own, and that puts
a lot of veterans in, you know, bad situations.
Speaker 2 (20:24):
So yeah, well, thank you very much for your service,
and thank you for bringing that up, because don't be
afraid to ask for help, and it's not even a
fear thing. I think sometimes, like you said, just your
training is like you're the responsible one. You're the one
taking care of everybody else, right, so you don't even think
to ask for somebody to help take care of you. Yeah,
(20:45):
and ask for help because people want to help. As
the listeners, I went through breast cancer many years ago.
One of the ladies in the support group I went
to also a single lady, her neighbor and middle aged gentlemen.
He was like, how can I help? What can I do? Well?
Hers was a very advanced case. She had a lot
(21:05):
of surgeries. She wasn't able to take the garbage roll
that can down to the road. She literally was unable
to do that for a good month or so. He's like,
I got you. So he came into the house, got
the garbage, putting the thing, took it out for her,
brought it back and he did it for over a
year for her. And she's like, I can do it,
and he's like, no, no, I like to help. So
(21:26):
he is still five years later rolling the garbage out
for her. Because people want to help. It makes them
feel good to help you.
Speaker 3 (21:32):
Yeah, you just got to ask. Be surprised a lot
of people will will help.
Speaker 2 (21:36):
Oh yeah, And I have to say, growing up my grandmother,
one of the things she always said was like, if
you need help, ask The worst they're going to do
is say no. Then you ask somebody else. Right, She's like,
and some days somebody's going to ask you for help
and you can either help or not help. And if
you can't help, maybe you know somebody who has that
skill or has that extra time that is willing to
(21:58):
help and wants to help. Because I work, so taking
off during the work day is kind of hard for me.
But I'll come at night or on the weekend. If
you're sick, you let me know. I'll bring you a thing,
a matzo ball suit from two days, you know, and
drop it off at the door. You know, happy to
do that, sure. And then when I was sick, friends
did that for me and it was so nice. I
was like talking to a friend and on the pain
(22:20):
meds and she was hanging something. I'm like, I don't
know what's going on, but all of a sudden they
went like, you know, chicken fettiicini, and she's like, it'll
beat your door in ten minutes. So while we were
talking on the phone, she door dashed it to.
Speaker 3 (22:30):
Me, that's awesome.
Speaker 1 (22:31):
I was like, what jesaid.
Speaker 2 (22:33):
Yeah, I was like, thank you, that's right. Aven gry.
Now She's like, but you will be and it'll be
ready and you won't have to do anything.
Speaker 3 (22:38):
Love it.
Speaker 2 (22:39):
So that kind of carrying and giving and like some
of the new technology I was in now, the instantaneousness
of being able to help was also cool.
Speaker 3 (22:46):
It is very cool, very cool.
Speaker 2 (22:48):
Another way I think people can help and I think
it's fun is to volunteer. So tell me about volunteers
at Wounded Veterans Relief Fund.
Speaker 3 (22:57):
Yeah.
Speaker 4 (22:57):
So we have a lot of different, you know, different
events throughout the throughout the year and uh, you know,
like we have the five k you know that just
we just had the five k.
Speaker 2 (23:08):
Yeah, big turnout again. Every year's getting a little bigger.
Speaker 4 (23:11):
Over five hundred people out there, so it's it's really wonderful.
Speaker 2 (23:15):
And did you do like I'm gonna say, like a
little music festival thing? Was it Kelsey Park?
Speaker 4 (23:20):
I mean we did a uh we we were part
of the seafood festival and yeah, yeah, and then we
also have in Lake Park. There's another seafood festival coming
up as well. Yeah, but we got you know, we
got over at the Cox Science Center. We got the
Hometown Heroes event and that's Believe June.
Speaker 2 (23:39):
It's gonna be June twenty first, right, June twenty first, yep, yep.
So tell me how does that work? Do you get tickets?
They just show up? How does it work?
Speaker 4 (23:46):
Well, they can go on to Believe on the Cox
Science Center and they have it posted there as well.
But it's you know, it's for for everybody really, and
it's you know, it's kind of giving back and honoring
our first responders, our community, and also our military and
our veterans. So we have and I think this is
like the third or fourth year that they've been doing it.
(24:07):
So they do a wonderful job out there. A lot
of it's just a great family fun day, you know,
and just giving back to and saying thank you to
all of our you know again, our first responders and
our veterans and our military for their sacrifice. But everybody
can come out there and enjoy. You get to see
all the good things at the Science Center that they
(24:28):
have on display, and then they have other you know
stuff there as well.
Speaker 2 (24:34):
Oh yeah, I went once and they had the people
out back making the the frozen the nitrogen ice cream
from the liquid nitrogen. Fascinating. I was like, oh, our
science is fun and tasty, so I think we all
get to sample. It was fun. And then another time
we went, they had you buy the little bags of
what they call rough and then you do like the
(24:55):
panning like with a like like you an old timy
minor with a little sift thing right looking for the
little rocks and gems. And yeah, it was a lot
of fun. I was like, this is great. It is
and of course I love the planetarium.
Speaker 3 (25:06):
Oh, the planetarium is awesome.
Speaker 4 (25:08):
Yeah, but you know, we have the sheriffs are there,
you know, I believe probably probably the West Palm Beach
Police Department. We have the Marines and the army there
as well, so you know we've had uh, you know,
the the I don't know what do you call it.
Speaker 3 (25:24):
The Sheriff's Equine of the equestrian unit.
Speaker 4 (25:27):
Yeah, the questioning unit is there too, and they also
have the bomb squad. You know they have that there too,
with the robotics out there, you know, from the Sheriff's department.
And like I said, they have the Marines and they
have vehicles out there as well, so it's really cool.
Speaker 3 (25:42):
You know.
Speaker 2 (25:43):
Yeah. I went with a friend once to like an
air show. Just seeing all that was amazing and I'm
a little short to get up in that chopper. I
was like, okay, I'm gonna need a boost. I was like, well,
how do you get in when you're out in the
field that like, trust me, isn't that a problem?
Speaker 3 (25:56):
Not a problem at all.
Speaker 2 (25:57):
Those guys are motivated to get in. It was so funny.
I was like, okay, that So obviously that's coming up
on ju twenty first at the Cox Science Center and Aquarium.
That's gonna be a lot of fun. And then later
on in the summer, more fun things coming. So I
see the thirteenth annual Treasure Coast of Benita Blast is
coming up. Yes, bats fishing guys, how can we go wrong?
Speaker 1 (26:18):
Right?
Speaker 3 (26:18):
Yes?
Speaker 4 (26:19):
So you know, listen in the summertime, there's you know
a lot of the local fishermen would say like what
did you catch? Right, and most of them said, we
caught Benita And that's how the Benita Blast actually came about. So,
you know, just a fun tournament, you know, supporting our
military and our veterans and usually about seventy seven to
(26:41):
about little over one hundred veterans get to go out
on boats, which I just I'm so thankful and grateful
to the community of boat owners that are out there
and the captains that invite veterans to come out on
their boats. For a lot of veterans, this is like
their first and only time that they've ever been on
a you know, on a boat like that in you know,
off our coast, the coast of Florida fishing, so especially
(27:04):
fishing for like kingfish, dolphin wahoo, because it's not just Benito,
it's also Kingfish Dolphin Wahoo tournament as well.
Speaker 2 (27:12):
Yeah, well whatever's the whatever these ocean is fighting your lure, right,
so you're kind of what you're catching.
Speaker 4 (27:16):
Yeah, pretty much pretty much, but you can't target certain
fish pecis, you know, And it's just it's it's a great,
great time. We have local rotc coming out there, We
have you know, local government officials that show up to
the event as well. But we have you know a
lot of a lot of different cash prizes and and
(27:38):
you know other prizes that that people can you know,
can get.
Speaker 2 (27:44):
Oh absolutely or can win. I know, I like it.
So it happens at Pirates Crow Resort and Marina. Great place, folks.
I've stayed there, a lot of fun, fun things to
do there. And actually the weekend I was staying there,
they had some other fishing tournament going on. She's like,
if you hear routing us later, come on down and everybody.
It's a lot of fun. They're raffling off all kinds
of fun prices. So it's gonna be on August eighth
through the ninth and this Friday Saturday, say, like a
(28:07):
Captain's dinner and stuff where they get all the information
and everything the rules. So for people who want to
donate their time in their boat right with their captain,
do they reach out to you to do this or
should they be reaching out to pirates Cove.
Speaker 4 (28:20):
Yeah, so no, they need to go to our website again,
all the informations there. Can just click on that, or
can go to Treasurecosepanina blast dot com and all of
the information there, all the rules, regulations, t shirts, sales
are on there, you know, and then you know it's
I believe it's three hundred dollars or three fifty per boat,
(28:43):
which includes captain and four anglers.
Speaker 3 (28:46):
You know, and then during the.
Speaker 4 (28:49):
During the awards dinner, there's actually a dinner, so everybody
you know, who's on the who's who's registered to fish.
Speaker 3 (28:55):
In the tournament, they get to go and enjoy a
dinner too.
Speaker 2 (28:58):
Oh very nice.
Speaker 3 (28:59):
I like it. Yeah, And we also have a live
auction as well, which is great.
Speaker 2 (29:04):
I'm all about the life.
Speaker 3 (29:05):
We've got some great ir is so fun. We got
great items. Yeah.
Speaker 2 (29:08):
Yeah. One of my friends, Jay Zieger, is one of
the he's an auctioneer. There's a lot of these kind
of auctions. He's so good. It's so fun. Yep, he's
the work here in the radio station. Like, this is
so cool.
Speaker 3 (29:17):
I love it.
Speaker 2 (29:17):
So it's fun when you see your friends doing new
fun jobs. I love it. So that's a cool one
to sign up for obviously, and fun with the fun
one to volunteer for as well, exactly. So I like
that one. And then what is this website again for
people to go sign up for that one? Uh, Banita Blast.
Speaker 4 (29:34):
It's the Treasure Coast Banita Blast dot com. Right they
or just google it you have a Treasure Coast Banita Blast.
It'll pop up, you know, or go to our website.
WVRF dot Org.
Speaker 2 (29:44):
Of course you have another fun event coming up, this
one a little bit later. This is coming up in September.
Speaker 3 (29:48):
Yep.
Speaker 2 (29:49):
So oh, this is a five K ten k.
Speaker 3 (29:51):
It's a five K ten k and run.
Speaker 2 (29:53):
Is there a little fun run for me?
Speaker 3 (29:55):
Boker, come on out and volunteer.
Speaker 2 (29:58):
I could do that.
Speaker 3 (29:59):
Yes.
Speaker 2 (30:00):
So this was the Devil Talk Saturday, September twenty eight. Oh, right,
and northly started seven thirty.
Speaker 1 (30:07):
Oh.
Speaker 2 (30:08):
And I like this. So I like this too, that
you do things throughout the counties. So this one's happening
at South County Regional Park.
Speaker 3 (30:15):
Correct.
Speaker 2 (30:16):
Nice.
Speaker 4 (30:17):
Nice, Yeah, so we have the we just had the
Running for Heroes right up at the River Bend Park
up in Jupiter, And like you said, this one is
down in Boca so well.
Speaker 2 (30:28):
Yeah, and the fishing up in the Treasure Coast. So
I like it. I like it. So you're all over
where everywhere. Well, and that's another thing too. It's like
you said, you know, especially with your dental service throughout the.
Speaker 3 (30:37):
State, throughout the state exactly all.
Speaker 2 (30:40):
The veterans don't necessarily just live here.
Speaker 4 (30:43):
No, but we have actually Florida has the third third
largest veteran population in the United States. I didn't know
if you knew that, but California is number one, Texas
is number two, and Florida is number three.
Speaker 2 (30:54):
Oh, I know that. That's awesome. Well I can see
a sun and sand nice. Yeah, that's so anyway, Well,
of course, so we're running out of time, but I
want to thank you for coming in before we leave.
Let's get the website and I know you're also on
a bunch of social media as well for people to
reach out to you.
Speaker 4 (31:08):
We are we are so again, if you want more
information about our you know, our organization and our you know,
life saving, life changing mission, our programs, you can go
to WVRF dot org and you can also go to
the events tab and you can see all the different
events that we have, you know, throughout the year. Definitely
come out participate. We also like sponsorships as well, so
(31:30):
we always love them because without sponsors, you know, it's
really tough to put on a lot of these events,
right So, and they cover most of the cost, which
is great, that's what you want as a nonprofit.
Speaker 3 (31:41):
But yeah, well.
Speaker 2 (31:42):
Yeah, so they sponsor the cost of the event, right
then the extra proceed's got actually come into fund the programs.
Which correct which help you need with?
Speaker 3 (31:49):
Yes?
Speaker 2 (31:50):
Sorry, which is what you need help with?
Speaker 3 (31:51):
Ye?
Speaker 2 (31:51):
All right, so obviously go en. You're on Facebook social media?
Speaker 4 (31:55):
Yeah, Facebook, Instagram. You know we don't do a lot
of Twitter, but yeah, mostly Facebook, Instagram and also LinkedIn.
Speaker 2 (32:02):
Thank you, okay ver? Yeah, well awesome, Well make thank
you for again for coming in. Well, thank you again
for your service, and thank you for coming taking that
service and now doing another service for fellow veterans, which
I think is just fantastic.
Speaker 3 (32:13):
Thanks dev right.
Speaker 2 (32:14):
If you need more information, reach out to me Palm
Beach Perspective at iHeartMedia dot com. Happy to foreart on
the details, don't forget. You can always download the shows
a podcast on our iHeartRadio app. Hope everybody has any
wonderful weekend. I'm dev Nev and this has been my perspective.
Remember life is good, so be your healthieste and let's
get out there and live it. Until next week enjoy i.
Speaker 1 (32:36):
Heeart Communities, the community engagement arm of the station, champions
critical issues and causes in the area of health and wellness,
social impact, education, literacy, and music, and art. Join us
next week for Palm Beach Treasure Coast perspective,
iHeart Communities presents Palm Beach Treasure Coast Perspective which dead NEP.
Speaker 2 (00:06):
Good morning, Welcome to Palm Beach Treasure Coast Perspective. I'm
your host dev Net. Thanks for spending your weekend with me.
All kinds of great things going on. Don't forget there
is still time to register your kids for summer camps
happening at the Oxpo Eco Center, So lots of cool
ones going on. This is a Oxpo Artchery, so archery
so finding I love it. No experience required for this.
(00:29):
It's going to be happening from June sixteenth through the twentieth,
nine am to five pm, and it's for kids going
into grades nine through twelve. The different campers are going
to learn the fundamentals of archery, expend their art skills
as well, some hands on projects, lots of fun things,
and of course focus on Florida's natural ecosystems and stuff
like that. All the equipment it's provided in the camp fee.
(00:52):
Then July fourteenth through the eighteenth, nine to five also
for the same age group kids entering nine through twelve
is preserved. And this is like more like service hands on,
like getting your hands on with the nature and stuff
like that and doing those kind of projects. I think
it's cool helping to restore the fragile ecosystems. So lots
(01:12):
of good stuff happening. Simply go to oxpoecho dot com
or you can give them call seven seven to two
seven eight five fifty eight thirty three and they're happy
to fill you in on all that kind of stuff
and of course more fun things for coming up for
the summer. Saint Lucy County Libraries have got all kinds
of coo stuff. They have family stuff, they've got like
individual programs, but of course they're just getting ready to
(01:34):
start off their summer reading challenge. And this is good
for all ages. So if you've got like a little baby,
mom and dad are reading to them, and then it
gets more age appropriate as they go up, so the
grownups can read for themselves, read for the kids. All
kinds of fun things. And of course, so like Daily suggests,
you're reading times. Its pre k is like ten minutes,
(01:55):
kindergarten through fifth grade fifteen minutes, middle school twenty minutes,
and so it's gonna be a lot of fun. Definitely
call them seven seven to two four six two seventeen
ninety one, so I like this one. It's just a
love on this year is the theme is read books
and explore new worlds. So that diet I definite agree
that the book's always open you up to all kinds of
(02:16):
cool adventures without ever having to leave your home. I
think it's fantastic. Our reminder, flaglar Museum is offering freed
mission on Founder's Day and that is from ten to
five pm on June fifth, So if you've never been
to the Flagleran Museum upon Beach, check it out that day.
So amazing. Just a beautiful, beautiful Gilded Age era at home.
(02:38):
Good thing to check out. Speaking of beautiful, Army Art
Center has got a lot of great art exhibitions going
on right now. They have a new one that's called
Exploring the Brain, Health and Mental well Being. So we
just wrapped up, of course mental Health Awareness Month for May,
but of course an ongoing thing you want to be
aware of that. So I think not one called before
I Forget Braveheart is doing one lots of cool things
(03:03):
ways to help raising awareness of the community, focusing on
like memory loss caregiver experience. A lot of folks are
going through that right now, and so some they go
to Armoryart dot org and you can find out more
about those exhibitions. And they also have of course lots
of classes that you can take, like you can you
and your kids can take a class, the kids can
(03:25):
do a summer camp there by themselves. Lots of fun
community things. My friend and her mom go and do,
like the jewelry making and they have a lot of fun.
So I definitely recommend that. Oh and if I've not,
then this is just amazing. I've done this. I definitely
recommend it. It is the Nighttime Sea Turtle Walk, so
Saint Lucie County's hosting it. It's going on now through
(03:48):
November fifteenth. It is limited to twenty five people per
session because you have to be respectful of the turtles
and everything. The walk start at eight forty five pm
and then there's a presentation. They last up until like
eleven pm ish, depending on like the turtle and the
time and everything, because you do not disrupt the process
(04:10):
at all, you just wait. It truly is such an
amazing thing. For the cost of person is thirteen thirty nine.
You do need to register. I'll go to the event
bright or you can reach out to Eric seven seven
to two four six two, seventeen ninety one and you
can give you more details on that. And then later
on they do the walk where the turtles are hatching,
(04:31):
so you get to watch the hatching's got to the sea.
So I have yet to do that part of it.
That that's definitely on my list to check out. I
think that's gonna be so incredibly fine. And of course
don't forget coming up on June seventeenth, the Spady Cultural
Museum is part of their one hundred year celebration, is
hosting a big June teenth Spady House party and that's
(04:52):
gonna be Dower Beach. Of course, they have lots of
cool events happening. Definitely want to check that out, and
if you haven't been, when you go, they have a
like a bus tour the area, do the Little History Tour.
It's air conditioned, folks, so it's a great way to
check it out. And of course they have lots of
fun exhibitions going on in the museum itself, and they
have a nice gift shop and stuff online, so definitely
(05:12):
check them out and help support them. And then of
course don't forget summer at the Norton is going on
lots of cool things, and they're doing anything on Juneteenth
for Juneteenth as well. It's their Juneteenth Community Day and
it is Saturday, June fourteenth. Saturday June fourteenth, Freedmission for everybody,
come in check out all the different exhibitions. They've got
(05:34):
a lot of really cool ones running throughout the summer.
And of course if you live in West Palm Beach
Freedmission the first Saturday of the month and then through
the summer if you're in Palm Beach County, Freed Mission
on Saturdays. So the new program they're offering this summer
for the Norton, So it's really cool. Go to Norton
dot org. All the different exhibitions and stuff for this
(05:54):
there and like who the person is coming for like
art after dark on Friday, and of course the first
art after dark on Friday every month is Jazz Night,
So if you're jazz fan, that's a good place to
go see some live jazz. Also, good live jazz place
is Delray Beach Arts Grudge. They've lots of fun things there.
They have the comedy Night, they've got poetry Night, a
lot of fun like musical acts coming through, as well
(06:15):
as some theater and a couple of free exhibitions in
their different galleries happening as well more music and fun
at the Gravis Center. Today June first is their Cravis
Center Dream Awards and they're celebrating the high school musical
theater excellence, So come on out support all the kids
at seven o'clock. I definitely check that out. Nicki Glaser
coming for a live and unwell comedy tour June seventh
(06:38):
through June eighth, and then they have coming up eight
too Proud, The Life and Times of the Temptation, a
great musical presentation thereout the summer June twenty fourth through
June twenty ninth. And if you're interested in becoming a
volunteer at the Cravist, they are always looking for help,
and the summers a good time to do because they're
just a little bit slower, so you reach out to
them five six, one, eight three two show or you
(06:59):
can go to dot org. All the details are there
for you. And of course another reminder, City Fort Pierce
is launching a bunch of free community workshop series, so
coming up June twenty fourth is the Pest Mitigation Workshop.
How you can deal with that without causing damage to
the environment and you know, the runoff into the streams
(07:19):
and effect water quality and stuff. Then on June twenty
six is Know your Rights as a Tenant Part one
for info, reach out to Caitlin seven seven to two,
seven four to two, nine, eight three five or seven
seven two four six seven thirty one sixty one and
she'll get back to speaking of getting more information. I
(07:40):
want to welcome my guest for today. I have Mike
Jurkey from the Wounded Veterans Relief Fund.
Speaker 3 (07:45):
Good morning, Good morning, deb, Good to see you again.
Speaker 2 (07:48):
Good to see you, Thanks for coming back in so
a lot of people moved into the area since we
last chatted. Sure tell the listeners and I what is
the Wounded Veterans Relief Fund, Like, how did it come
to be?
Speaker 4 (07:58):
Yeah, So we were still plished back in two thousand
and nine, and at that time we were providing you know,
emergency financial assistance and you know, and that over time
has now you know, morphed I guess into not just
their urgent financial assistance but also the critical dental assistants
(08:20):
as well. So we've added new programs to our organization
which we found these were areas where there were major
gaps in you know, in funding and you know, in
service for our veterans well.
Speaker 2 (08:36):
And that's good though. So I think that's what charities
should do, right. They meet a need in the community
and they grow as the needs in the community.
Speaker 3 (08:44):
Grow, exactly.
Speaker 4 (08:46):
And we work with all the vas you know in
the state of Florida and all the social workers, all
the county Veterans Service officers. So a big shout out
to all the social workers out there that support our veterans,
you know, and you know, we talked to them and
they let us know, you know what, you know, what
services veterans need the most. And that's how the critical
(09:08):
Dental Assistance Program came about because you know, a lot
of veterans needed dental health. Eighty five percent of veterans
do not receive dental care through the VA, and a
lot of people do not know that, you know, I
did not know that. Yeah, So a lot of times,
you know, people think that the VA takes care of
everything for veterans, and that's not and that is not
(09:29):
the truth, you know what I mean. So like vision
visions another thing that you know, a lot of veterans
do not receive. But you know, dental health is extremely important,
not just for veterans but for everyone, you know, because
it can have a negative effect on your overall overall health.
Speaker 3 (09:49):
Right.
Speaker 2 (09:49):
Oh yeah, years ago I saw I remember seeing driving
and seeing the billboard. Yeah it says and it says
no insurance, right, just fluss right, yeah, right, really that's it, yeah,
because so much of that happens. You know, when you
eat and stuff you can bring in those germs without
knowing or whatever.
Speaker 4 (10:06):
Absolutely dev I mean, you know, the your mouth is
your gateway to your body, right, and so you know
there's a lot of times you'll have to take medication,
right and it has to be sublingual hight.
Speaker 2 (10:18):
Whah Yeah, why do you do that?
Speaker 3 (10:21):
Right?
Speaker 4 (10:22):
Because it's a it goes right into your bloodstream, you know, right,
So so you know, another thing too is cardiovascular disease.
A lot of it comes from poor dental health. So
if if you have bacteria in your mouth and that
and that bacteria constantly goes into your bloodstream, that will
attack your overall cardiovascular system and cause all kinds of
(10:45):
havoc on your you know, on your on your body. Also,
when you think about it, you know, poor dental health
and uh, let's say you're missing a bunch of teeth. Well,
you know that's a barrier to employment badly.
Speaker 2 (10:59):
We are very visual people, very much.
Speaker 4 (11:01):
So, and so we want to make sure that our
veterans are really set up for success for you know,
for the rest of their life. So by providing them this,
you know that don't care. Not only are we helping
them with their overall health but their mental health, but
also giving them again, you know, breaking down the barriers
(11:21):
for better employment, for them to be out with people,
networking and so forth. That really, you know, makes you
successful in life.
Speaker 3 (11:30):
Oh.
Speaker 2 (11:30):
Absolutely, I was just thinking you don't have enough tea,
you can't get good nutrition. I wasn't even thinking about
the barriage. You're getting a job. Good. I'm so glad
you're looking out for them like this. That's amazing. How
do people how do they qualify for the program?
Speaker 3 (11:44):
Right?
Speaker 4 (11:45):
So, like I said, you know, we work with all
the social workers you know, and also the County Veterans
Service officers in the state of Florida. So when veterans
fall on hard times, so let's for example, let's take
the urgent financial Assistance program that we have which really
combats homelessness, you know, keeps our veterans and their families
in their homes, but also helps veterans that are currently
(12:07):
homeless get off the streets. And we provide first lesson security,
you know, for those veterans you know that don't have
the money. The upfront costs that it and it's very expensive,
you know, that upfront cost to get into a place.
Speaker 2 (12:19):
Right, you think about it. If it's a three thousand
dollars a month rental, right, right, nine grand? Where are
you gonna come up that?
Speaker 3 (12:25):
I know? I mean, yeah, so if.
Speaker 2 (12:28):
I had nine grand, I'd be somewhere else.
Speaker 4 (12:32):
So yeah, so we you know, we help them get
into homes. We also help them out with their utilities,
get their utilities back online. Again, we help out with
car repairs, and sometimes you know, people donate their cars
to our organization and then we then give those cars
to veterans.
Speaker 2 (12:52):
So well that's great. So if you have a car
and you're getting a new car, rather get that maybe
one thousand and two thousand dollars trade in, right, they
can donate it to you guys, ride off on their
taxes and help out a veteran. I think that's a
great idea.
Speaker 3 (13:04):
It's great, it's really, it's wonderful.
Speaker 2 (13:06):
Did you a car donation? Would they call you? Is
there on the website?
Speaker 4 (13:10):
Yeah, they can just reach out to us through the
website and uh, and just there's a spot where they
can annotate where they would if they have a car,
they can just reach out to us and let us
know and you'll you'll call them and we'll call them back,
you know, you know, especially if we have veterans that
are are lined up, you know, to receive a car
because we all need transportation.
Speaker 3 (13:30):
You know.
Speaker 2 (13:31):
Oh. Absolutely. And I had a frien come to visit.
She lives in Washington, DC, so she uses public transportation
all the time. I was getting ready to go to work,
I'm like, do you want to drive to work with me?
Then you can have my car for the day. Oh no, no,
I'll take the bus. Right I get home from work
and she's still not back on the bus. She was
on that bus all day.
Speaker 3 (13:48):
Wow.
Speaker 2 (13:49):
It took her like what would be a ten minute
ride to the beach hour and a half two hours
one way to get there. She was like, I'm barring
your car tomorrow.
Speaker 3 (13:58):
Yeah.
Speaker 4 (13:59):
It's really it's really especially you know in Florida. You know,
it's not like you're up north right where you have
the metro, you got bus system and you get the
rail all kinds of stuff.
Speaker 2 (14:08):
So you know, that's something that's I think that definitely
a lot of the communities are trying to improve their
transportation systems.
Speaker 3 (14:15):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (14:15):
Yeah, it's just up north, it's like every five minutes
there's a bus on the corner. You can catch a bus.
Speaker 3 (14:20):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (14:21):
Here, it's like every couple hours you can catch a bus. Right,
it's stopping at every corner. So then it adds to
your travel time getting to work or wherever you're going.
Speaker 3 (14:29):
So yeah, I got some great news. Great.
Speaker 4 (14:32):
The great news is that, you know, Governor DeSantis about
two years ago signed into law or approved that there
would be money state money's allocated for for dental for veterans.
And it was approved, and so we're one of the
charities to receive some of that money in order to
(14:54):
help more veterans in the state of Florida with their
with their dental health.
Speaker 2 (14:58):
That is fantastic. I'm so and I'm glad you signed
that into a fact because obviously I need this very much.
Something is very much needed, but I know a lot
of dentists actually volunteer their time or work at a
reduced rate as well to help the dentists who want
to help out reach out to you.
Speaker 4 (15:14):
Yeah, So we started with one dental office right in
twenty twenty, and now we have over one hundred and
seventy dental offices in the state of Florida, which is amazing, right,
over three hundred dental partners. But you know, if there
are dentists out there that would love to, you know,
donate their services or even at a reduced cost, you know,
(15:37):
work with us, because we do have our own fee
schedule and we pay the you know, we pay the
dental office directly, but we do look at and then
we look at their treatment you know, the treatment plans
and so forth before we actually go ahead and commit
to you know, to the payment. But you know, the
dentists can can reach out to us. Go on our
(15:59):
website again and and you know they can submit Uh,
there's a form online and they can just submit it
and then we'll reach back out to them.
Speaker 2 (16:07):
So what is the website for folks to go to?
Speaker 3 (16:09):
Sure, it's w v r F.
Speaker 4 (16:11):
That's Wounded Veterans Relief Fund right w v r F
dot org and all of our info is on there.
There's information on our on our emergency financial assistance program
and also our critical dental assistance program. You can see
a couple of videos on there, a couple of testimonials
from a couple of our veterans that have gotten helped
(16:33):
through our organization.
Speaker 3 (16:35):
But we have.
Speaker 4 (16:36):
Forms on there that you know, you can fill out,
you can submit if you need to, if you want
to inquire about about more information about the about the programs.
And then also there's the state program as well. So
if a veteran is out there in need of some
dental work, you can go go to our website, go
to our dental page and there is the the state
(16:58):
funded program on there. There's the questionnaire. Just fill it
out to see if you qualify and uh and then
we'll get back to you.
Speaker 2 (17:06):
Oh very cool. Yeah, speaking of these, so the dentists
can volunteer their time, like I know a lot of
dentists offer like like an initial free office check throughout
the year. I know doctor Cohen does it down in
Lakeworth to check for mouth cancer. Yes, it's a free
thing because you need to catch that right away. So
there's lots of dentists offer that for free, just FYI
for folks in general. But if somebody wants to donate
(17:29):
money to wounded veterans, really fine, Yes you said, there's
a little thing where they can say where they want
it to go. So if somebody wants to donate towards
the dental program, because you got money from the state,
but I know it's not enough, because it's not enough,
it helps it, like it's enough to get the door open,
but to keep the door open, you need more folks
that help up. How do they donate money to?
Speaker 4 (17:48):
Yeah, and who knows if that state of funding is
going to be guaranteed right forever, So we don't know,
right So so yeah, so you can go on our
website and there's a there's a donate button right there.
And so after you look at all the different programs
and you can see the testimonials and if you feel
compelled that that you'd like to donate to our organization,
(18:09):
there's a donate button, like I said, And then you
can actually choose to donate to one program or if
you want to, if you want to just donate to
both programs, you can do that.
Speaker 2 (18:19):
As well, and just donate in general. The money can
be used correct or whatever you And I'm also for
the listeners to know. I think the key point that
you mentioned in the past is the money goes directly
to the vendor. It never goes to it doesn't go
to the veteran. Like if the light they'll needs paid,
you pay directly.
Speaker 4 (18:37):
Correct, Yes, it goes to the credit directly, does not
go to the veteran. So like let's say if the
power is out, we'll reach out to FPL and we'll
make that payment on behalf of the veteran and then
the FBL will will you know, turn the light back on,
which is great.
Speaker 3 (18:52):
You know.
Speaker 2 (18:52):
Yeah, I've always envisioned somebody in f PO saying, oh,
I got the payment and they click a switch.
Speaker 3 (18:56):
Right right, press the button. There you go.
Speaker 2 (18:58):
I quite sure how that works, but in my head
that works.
Speaker 4 (19:00):
But it's pretty pretty amazing though. You know, we had
a veteran who did not have lights or power to
his house for two weeks, two weeks in summer, so hot,
and he finally just said, you know, it broke down
and he said, I have to ask somebody for help.
So he reached out to a social worker, and the
social worker qualified him and got all the documents that
(19:25):
we needed and literally about forty five minutes later, the
power lights came back on and he called me and
his wife called me, called the office and they were
both crying on the other end of the phone, and
they were just like they just couldn't believe how quickly
we were able to get the power restored.
Speaker 2 (19:44):
That is awesome, But like.
Speaker 4 (19:46):
Many veterans, you know, we're so proud to even ask
for help that, you know, it's just that sometimes it's
a little.
Speaker 3 (19:52):
Too late, you know.
Speaker 4 (19:53):
And you know, I'm a veteran, right thirteen years army
and I was deployed to I RACK in Afghanistan, and
you know, with basic training and all of that, we're
taught to suffer, go through some suffering, right because it's
all about the mission getting it done.
Speaker 3 (20:11):
And so a lot of times.
Speaker 4 (20:13):
We choose other people, you know, we try to make
their lives better instead of our own, and that puts
a lot of veterans in, you know, bad situations.
Speaker 2 (20:24):
So yeah, well, thank you very much for your service,
and thank you for bringing that up, because don't be
afraid to ask for help, and it's not even a
fear thing. I think sometimes, like you said, just your
training is like you're the responsible one. You're the one
taking care of everybody else, right, so you don't even think
to ask for somebody to help take care of you. Yeah,
(20:45):
and ask for help because people want to help. As
the listeners, I went through breast cancer many years ago.
One of the ladies in the support group I went
to also a single lady, her neighbor and middle aged gentlemen.
He was like, how can I help? What can I do? Well?
Hers was a very advanced case. She had a lot
(21:05):
of surgeries. She wasn't able to take the garbage roll
that can down to the road. She literally was unable
to do that for a good month or so. He's like,
I got you. So he came into the house, got
the garbage, putting the thing, took it out for her,
brought it back and he did it for over a
year for her. And she's like, I can do it,
and he's like, no, no, I like to help. So
(21:26):
he is still five years later rolling the garbage out
for her. Because people want to help. It makes them
feel good to help you.
Speaker 3 (21:32):
Yeah, you just got to ask. Be surprised a lot
of people will will help.
Speaker 2 (21:36):
Oh yeah, And I have to say, growing up my grandmother,
one of the things she always said was like, if
you need help, ask The worst they're going to do
is say no. Then you ask somebody else. Right, She's like,
and some days somebody's going to ask you for help
and you can either help or not help. And if
you can't help, maybe you know somebody who has that
skill or has that extra time that is willing to
(21:58):
help and wants to help. Because I work, so taking
off during the work day is kind of hard for me.
But I'll come at night or on the weekend. If
you're sick, you let me know. I'll bring you a thing,
a matzo ball suit from two days, you know, and
drop it off at the door. You know, happy to
do that, sure. And then when I was sick, friends
did that for me and it was so nice. I
was like talking to a friend and on the pain
(22:20):
meds and she was hanging something. I'm like, I don't
know what's going on, but all of a sudden they
went like, you know, chicken fettiicini, and she's like, it'll
beat your door in ten minutes. So while we were
talking on the phone, she door dashed it to.
Speaker 3 (22:30):
Me, that's awesome.
Speaker 1 (22:31):
I was like, what jesaid.
Speaker 2 (22:33):
Yeah, I was like, thank you, that's right. Aven gry.
Now She's like, but you will be and it'll be
ready and you won't have to do anything.
Speaker 3 (22:38):
Love it.
Speaker 2 (22:39):
So that kind of carrying and giving and like some
of the new technology I was in now, the instantaneousness
of being able to help was also cool.
Speaker 3 (22:46):
It is very cool, very cool.
Speaker 2 (22:48):
Another way I think people can help and I think
it's fun is to volunteer. So tell me about volunteers
at Wounded Veterans Relief Fund.
Speaker 3 (22:57):
Yeah.
Speaker 4 (22:57):
So we have a lot of different, you know, different
events throughout the throughout the year and uh, you know,
like we have the five k you know that just
we just had the five k.
Speaker 2 (23:08):
Yeah, big turnout again. Every year's getting a little bigger.
Speaker 4 (23:11):
Over five hundred people out there, so it's it's really wonderful.
Speaker 2 (23:15):
And did you do like I'm gonna say, like a
little music festival thing? Was it Kelsey Park?
Speaker 4 (23:20):
I mean we did a uh we we were part
of the seafood festival and yeah, yeah, and then we
also have in Lake Park. There's another seafood festival coming
up as well. Yeah, but we got you know, we
got over at the Cox Science Center. We got the
Hometown Heroes event and that's Believe June.
Speaker 2 (23:39):
It's gonna be June twenty first, right, June twenty first, yep, yep.
So tell me how does that work? Do you get tickets?
They just show up? How does it work?
Speaker 4 (23:46):
Well, they can go on to Believe on the Cox
Science Center and they have it posted there as well.
But it's you know, it's for for everybody really, and
it's you know, it's kind of giving back and honoring
our first responders, our community, and also our military and
our veterans. So we have and I think this is
like the third or fourth year that they've been doing it.
(24:07):
So they do a wonderful job out there. A lot
of it's just a great family fun day, you know,
and just giving back to and saying thank you to
all of our you know again, our first responders and
our veterans and our military for their sacrifice. But everybody
can come out there and enjoy. You get to see
all the good things at the Science Center that they
(24:28):
have on display, and then they have other you know
stuff there as well.
Speaker 2 (24:34):
Oh yeah, I went once and they had the people
out back making the the frozen the nitrogen ice cream
from the liquid nitrogen. Fascinating. I was like, oh, our
science is fun and tasty, so I think we all
get to sample. It was fun. And then another time
we went, they had you buy the little bags of
what they call rough and then you do like the
(24:55):
panning like with a like like you an old timy
minor with a little sift thing right looking for the
little rocks and gems. And yeah, it was a lot
of fun. I was like, this is great. It is
and of course I love the planetarium.
Speaker 3 (25:06):
Oh, the planetarium is awesome.
Speaker 4 (25:08):
Yeah, but you know, we have the sheriffs are there,
you know, I believe probably probably the West Palm Beach
Police Department. We have the Marines and the army there
as well, so you know we've had uh, you know,
the the I don't know what do you call it.
Speaker 3 (25:24):
The Sheriff's Equine of the equestrian unit.
Speaker 4 (25:27):
Yeah, the questioning unit is there too, and they also
have the bomb squad. You know they have that there too,
with the robotics out there, you know, from the Sheriff's department.
And like I said, they have the Marines and they
have vehicles out there as well, so it's really cool.
Speaker 3 (25:42):
You know.
Speaker 2 (25:43):
Yeah. I went with a friend once to like an
air show. Just seeing all that was amazing and I'm
a little short to get up in that chopper. I
was like, okay, I'm gonna need a boost. I was like, well,
how do you get in when you're out in the
field that like, trust me, isn't that a problem?
Speaker 3 (25:56):
Not a problem at all.
Speaker 2 (25:57):
Those guys are motivated to get in. It was so funny.
I was like, okay, that So obviously that's coming up
on ju twenty first at the Cox Science Center and Aquarium.
That's gonna be a lot of fun. And then later
on in the summer, more fun things coming. So I
see the thirteenth annual Treasure Coast of Benita Blast is
coming up. Yes, bats fishing guys, how can we go wrong?
Speaker 1 (26:18):
Right?
Speaker 3 (26:18):
Yes?
Speaker 4 (26:19):
So you know, listen in the summertime, there's you know
a lot of the local fishermen would say like what
did you catch? Right, and most of them said, we
caught Benita And that's how the Benita Blast actually came about. So,
you know, just a fun tournament, you know, supporting our
military and our veterans and usually about seventy seven to
(26:41):
about little over one hundred veterans get to go out
on boats, which I just I'm so thankful and grateful
to the community of boat owners that are out there
and the captains that invite veterans to come out on
their boats. For a lot of veterans, this is like
their first and only time that they've ever been on
a you know, on a boat like that in you know,
off our coast, the coast of Florida fishing, so especially
(27:04):
fishing for like kingfish, dolphin wahoo, because it's not just Benito,
it's also Kingfish Dolphin Wahoo tournament as well.
Speaker 2 (27:12):
Yeah, well whatever's the whatever these ocean is fighting your lure, right,
so you're kind of what you're catching.
Speaker 4 (27:16):
Yeah, pretty much pretty much, but you can't target certain
fish pecis, you know, And it's just it's it's a great,
great time. We have local rotc coming out there, We
have you know, local government officials that show up to
the event as well. But we have you know a
lot of a lot of different cash prizes and and
(27:38):
you know other prizes that that people can you know,
can get.
Speaker 2 (27:44):
Oh absolutely or can win. I know, I like it.
So it happens at Pirates Crow Resort and Marina. Great place, folks.
I've stayed there, a lot of fun, fun things to
do there. And actually the weekend I was staying there,
they had some other fishing tournament going on. She's like,
if you hear routing us later, come on down and everybody.
It's a lot of fun. They're raffling off all kinds
of fun prices. So it's gonna be on August eighth
through the ninth and this Friday Saturday, say, like a
(28:07):
Captain's dinner and stuff where they get all the information
and everything the rules. So for people who want to
donate their time in their boat right with their captain,
do they reach out to you to do this or
should they be reaching out to pirates Cove.
Speaker 4 (28:20):
Yeah, so no, they need to go to our website again,
all the informations there. Can just click on that, or
can go to Treasurecosepanina blast dot com and all of
the information there, all the rules, regulations, t shirts, sales
are on there, you know, and then you know it's
I believe it's three hundred dollars or three fifty per boat,
(28:43):
which includes captain and four anglers.
Speaker 3 (28:46):
You know, and then during the.
Speaker 4 (28:49):
During the awards dinner, there's actually a dinner, so everybody
you know, who's on the who's who's registered to fish.
Speaker 3 (28:55):
In the tournament, they get to go and enjoy a
dinner too.
Speaker 2 (28:58):
Oh very nice.
Speaker 3 (28:59):
I like it. Yeah, And we also have a live
auction as well, which is great.
Speaker 2 (29:04):
I'm all about the life.
Speaker 3 (29:05):
We've got some great ir is so fun. We got
great items. Yeah.
Speaker 2 (29:08):
Yeah. One of my friends, Jay Zieger, is one of
the he's an auctioneer. There's a lot of these kind
of auctions. He's so good. It's so fun. Yep, he's
the work here in the radio station. Like, this is
so cool.
Speaker 3 (29:17):
I love it.
Speaker 2 (29:17):
So it's fun when you see your friends doing new
fun jobs. I love it. So that's a cool one
to sign up for obviously, and fun with the fun
one to volunteer for as well, exactly. So I like
that one. And then what is this website again for
people to go sign up for that one? Uh, Banita Blast.
Speaker 4 (29:34):
It's the Treasure Coast Banita Blast dot com. Right they
or just google it you have a Treasure Coast Banita Blast.
It'll pop up, you know, or go to our website.
WVRF dot Org.
Speaker 2 (29:44):
Of course you have another fun event coming up, this
one a little bit later. This is coming up in September.
Speaker 3 (29:48):
Yep.
Speaker 2 (29:49):
So oh, this is a five K ten k.
Speaker 3 (29:51):
It's a five K ten k and run.
Speaker 2 (29:53):
Is there a little fun run for me?
Speaker 3 (29:55):
Boker, come on out and volunteer.
Speaker 2 (29:58):
I could do that.
Speaker 3 (29:59):
Yes.
Speaker 2 (30:00):
So this was the Devil Talk Saturday, September twenty eight. Oh, right,
and northly started seven thirty.
Speaker 1 (30:07):
Oh.
Speaker 2 (30:08):
And I like this. So I like this too, that
you do things throughout the counties. So this one's happening
at South County Regional Park.
Speaker 3 (30:15):
Correct.
Speaker 2 (30:16):
Nice.
Speaker 4 (30:17):
Nice, Yeah, so we have the we just had the
Running for Heroes right up at the River Bend Park
up in Jupiter, And like you said, this one is
down in Boca so well.
Speaker 2 (30:28):
Yeah, and the fishing up in the Treasure Coast. So
I like it. I like it. So you're all over
where everywhere. Well, and that's another thing too. It's like
you said, you know, especially with your dental service throughout the.
Speaker 3 (30:37):
State, throughout the state exactly all.
Speaker 2 (30:40):
The veterans don't necessarily just live here.
Speaker 4 (30:43):
No, but we have actually Florida has the third third
largest veteran population in the United States. I didn't know
if you knew that, but California is number one, Texas
is number two, and Florida is number three.
Speaker 2 (30:54):
Oh, I know that. That's awesome. Well I can see
a sun and sand nice. Yeah, that's so anyway, Well,
of course, so we're running out of time, but I
want to thank you for coming in before we leave.
Let's get the website and I know you're also on
a bunch of social media as well for people to
reach out to you.
Speaker 4 (31:08):
We are we are so again, if you want more
information about our you know, our organization and our you know,
life saving, life changing mission, our programs, you can go
to WVRF dot org and you can also go to
the events tab and you can see all the different
events that we have, you know, throughout the year. Definitely
come out participate. We also like sponsorships as well, so
(31:30):
we always love them because without sponsors, you know, it's
really tough to put on a lot of these events,
right So, and they cover most of the cost, which
is great, that's what you want as a nonprofit.
Speaker 3 (31:41):
But yeah, well.
Speaker 2 (31:42):
Yeah, so they sponsor the cost of the event, right
then the extra proceed's got actually come into fund the programs.
Which correct which help you need with?
Speaker 3 (31:49):
Yes?
Speaker 2 (31:50):
Sorry, which is what you need help with?
Speaker 3 (31:51):
Ye?
Speaker 2 (31:51):
All right, so obviously go en. You're on Facebook social media?
Speaker 4 (31:55):
Yeah, Facebook, Instagram. You know we don't do a lot
of Twitter, but yeah, mostly Facebook, Instagram and also LinkedIn.
Speaker 2 (32:02):
Thank you, okay ver? Yeah, well awesome, Well make thank
you for again for coming in. Well, thank you again
for your service, and thank you for coming taking that
service and now doing another service for fellow veterans, which
I think is just fantastic.
Speaker 3 (32:13):
Thanks dev right.
Speaker 2 (32:14):
If you need more information, reach out to me Palm
Beach Perspective at iHeartMedia dot com. Happy to foreart on
the details, don't forget. You can always download the shows
a podcast on our iHeartRadio app. Hope everybody has any
wonderful weekend. I'm dev Nev and this has been my perspective.
Remember life is good, so be your healthieste and let's
get out there and live it. Until next week enjoy i.
Speaker 1 (32:36):
Heeart Communities, the community engagement arm of the station, champions
critical issues and causes in the area of health and wellness,
social impact, education, literacy, and music, and art. Join us
next week for Palm Beach Treasure Coast perspective,
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