WCAX.COM Local Vermont News, Weather and Sports-Charity Groups Help Guard Families

Charity Groups Help Guard Families

Burlington, Vermont - November 30, 2009

Deployments can put stress on guard members and their families. But beyond emotional support, some may need financial help for emergencies.

That's where the Vermont National Guard charitable foundation comes in.

"She is 19 there, but this is my favorite picture of her," said Lisa Pettrey-Gill as she pointed to a picture of her daughter Jessica. She's mourning the loss of Jessica, who developed a brain tumor at 26-years-old.

Pettrey-Gill said when she was first diagnosed it seemed unreal, "At first it was like she'll be ok, she's strong otherwise and healthy, but after awhile we realized she wasn't going to."

Diagnosed in January, Jessica died this August. Grief, mixed with mounting medical and funeral costs that Lisa could not pay. A friend said she should call the Vermont national guard charitable foundation. It gives grants to soldiers and their families in need.

"Ultimately when my daughter died and expenses were $10,000, which I didn't have cash on hand, Mary convinced me to apply."

Pettrey-Gill says the money gave her peace of mind and time to focus on her greiving 6-year- old grandson.

"It allowed me to take time with Logan, with my parents and other daughter and let us get through it together and not be stressing over money," said Pettrey-Gill.

"Lisa's a perfect example," said Steven Cray with the Vermont National Guard Charitable Foundation, "Where could you go? There's no organization in the community really."

Steven Cray is an assistant adjutant general in the air guard and one of 5 volunteers who serve on the charitable foundation board. It started in 2005, and since then has provided $250,000 in grants to meet needs ranging from mortgage payments to home repairs to electric bills. On average there are about 2 requests a month.

Steven Cray: "In a post 9/11 environment that the guard, the soldiers and the airmen are being used so operationally, so much more frequently that the families the need increased."

The Vermont national guard charitable foundation has about $100,000 in the bank, but with so many soldiers set to deploy, the group is now staring a bigger fundraising effort.

"And that's why we are trying to raise as much as we can because the need is going to be great now but also in the out years," explained Cray.

The money comes from private people and business donations.

"Somewhere on each peice we have the little task force homefront," said John Rock with Express Appliance.

Owner John Rock jumped to support the guard, he is a former member. A portion of each sale will go to the foundation for the entire year the guard is deployed to Afhganistan. Last month the company donated $1,400.

"The reason we did it is because we thought it was our civic duty to help the troops whether you agree or disagree with the conflict, our thought is with the troops," said John Rock.

For Lisa Pettrey-Gill it was difficult to accept aid, but the money took away some stress as she dealt with the death of her daughter.

"By accepting help you are not being weak," said Lisa Pettrey-Gill, "We've been trained in the military to be strong, you are not being weak by accepting help, that's what it's there for."

Kristin Carlson - WCAX News