Giving Back

Vistancia club teams with Walmart to help veterans

BY CHRISTINA FUOCO-KARASINSKI

From left to right are Jim Reavis, Bob Meizinger, Russell Brown, Colleen Tucker, Scott Duke and Bryan Young. (Photos by Pablo Robles)

The Trilogy at Vistancia Veterans Club works to engage military veterans within its gated community.

It cultivates friendships and creates missions and opportunities that support the in-need or at-risk veterans. In addition, the 219 members advocate for legislation that promotes benefits to military veterans and their

families.

“We’re very active,” says Jim Reavis, the manager of charities. “We’re formed in a way to give back, and we support many charities. It’s always to help veterans in need.

“We do that through U.S. Vets, the Grand Village Center, Veterans First Limited, which is a group for females who have been physically and mentally abused in the service and after. Basically, it’s a group for females who have been physically and mentally abused in the service and after the service. We also help Mana House and the Coast Guard.”

Last Thanksgiving, they supported the annual St. Mary’s Food Bank turkey drive and the U.S. Marines’ Toys for Tots.

“The people in Trilogy are extremely generous,” he says.

The club was founded six years ago, and Reavis has been a member for three. It has 82 Army members, 64 Air Force, 43 Navy, 24 Marines, five Coast Guard and one Royal British Navy. Fifty-six of those 219 are retired military.

Reavis is a veteran himself. In the Air Force, Reavis was stationed in Canada, Africa, Germany, Iceland, Michigan, Louisiana, Florida, Colorado and England.

“I spent 24 years in the Air Force,” he says. “So many people helped me along the way and guided me and helped me throughout life. What I learned in the Air Force is I want to help people for the rest of my life.

“As a senior NCO (noncommissioned officer), we always try to give back. Many of us within the group now continue to give back. We’re at 218 strong at the moment. Twelve of them are female veterans.”

Walmart Community Grant Program and local Walmart stores have given money to the organization, which allows it to support the charities. With the Walmart grant monies, the charitable veterans shop at local Walmart stores to purchase equipment, household and nonperishable items. They also provide personal hygiene items for the men and women who receive support from these organizations.

The grant is competitive. Walmart receives more than 150,000 grant applications per year.

“We’re really appreciative for this,” he says.

Trilogy at Vistancia Veterans Club tvaveteransclub.weebly.com

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