VetNet News Journal August 2010
Jim Larsen thinks Kentucky is so "fantastic" he decided to move there after finally retiring. But he didn’t know he would be starting a new career as Regional Director for the Veterans’ Outreach in Grayson.
"I need this like a hole in the head," said Larsen. "It all started as a joke. I saw an ad in the paper and called John Ely. He called back, we met and here I am." Of course it wasn’t quite as simple as that. "John is quite the man. He has boundless enthusiasm for the VO and, when I toured the office, I was very impressed with the dedication of the staff and how much the VO has helped so many."
The Air Force veteran has a love for his fellow vets, and for the job he now has, rounding up support and setting up donation points to raise funds for vets in need.
"The biggest challenge here is to get out the message that the funds raised here stay in Kentucky," said Larsen. "We are local—100 miles from here our money helps vets in the state of Kentucky, even though our headquarters are in Ohio."
"Help" can mean getting vets to doctors or getting glasses. It can also mean helping on house payments or rent or utilities. "We work with homeless organizations that refer vets to us for help of all kinds: some need shelter, others need a car repair in order to get to work, while still others are finding help for addictions. Sometimes it’s as basic as food."
Providing information to vets is also a critical aspect of the job. "We are seeing a lot of vets who are having a rough time in this economy. We direct them to employment agencies. We help fill in where we can."
Vets are assessed at the VO office for need and have to show their honorable discharge papers. "All the veterans who come here have a one-on-one interview. Many times we help them find and apply for veterans' benefits they didn't know they had coming to them. We're very conservative when it comes to where the money goes. We don't take chances on money donated to us."
Larsen brings years of business acumen to the table. He was president of his own company in Michigan, Industrial Lighting, Inc., from 1972 to 1987. Following that he served as a representative for the U.S. Chamber of Commerce in Washington, D.C., and continued there until he retired in 2006.
With his background, Larsen found no problem hitting the ground running. "I've been meeting with groups like the VFW, American Legion, and places like Wal-Mart to let them know about us. They need to know we're a legitimate, non-profit organization that wants to raise funds to help veterans who are stuggling. We as a country need to do this. These are the men and women who put their lives on the line to keep us free."
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