DMSB ROTARY SUPPORTS STAND DOWN FOR HOMELESS VETS

DMSB Rotary members and friends distributed over 5,200 bottles of water during the heat of July at “Stand Down San Diego,” held Friday through Sunday, July 22-24.  They worked in shifts of 4 for 3 hours per shift from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., continuously filling ice chests with bottles of water and ice, and then handing out chilled bottles to the homeless vets and their dependents (and to the other volunteers there helping the vets).  This experience made everyone truly appreciate what we have and our ability to help those who have helped protect our country.  This was a perfect example of Service Above Self.  

 

This was approximately the 8^th or 9^th year of both funding and handing out chilled bottles of water to vets at Stand Down.  (No one really can remember what year we started this.)  As a result of a late, emergency request from Verterans Village San Diego (VVSD), DMSB Rotary also funded the overtime costs for San Diego Superior Court personnel necessary to hold is annual Homeless Court at Stand Down.  Stand Down was started in San Diego and has been replicated around the country.  (See http://vvsd.net/stand-down/.)

 

A bird's eye view of Stand Down from the pedestrian bridge across I-5.

 

DMSB Rotary's "Water Tent" - open for business.