Area Honor Guards Receive Donations

Upper Cumberland residents helped out local veterans organizations when they rolled up their sleeves and donated blood prior to Memorial Day.

The Battle of the Branches Blood Drive provided donations totaling $3,000 to Veteran’s Honor Guards in Fentress County, Overton County, and Putnam County.

The donation will assist in efforts to provide services to veterans across the Upper Cumberland.

“This will be handy in supplying the needs of the honor guard,” Overton County Veteran’s Honor Guard member Ron Goode said. “We use those funds to buy the flags that we put on the graves of veterans and to buy uniforms for the men who join the honor guard.”

Veteran’s Honor Guards throughout the Upper Cumberland work on a volunteer basis and rely on fundraising to provide services to veterans.

Putnam County Veteran’s Honor Guard member Jim Macafee said the extra funding will help with the upkeep and insurance for vehicles.

“Sometimes we do simultaneous funerals and we have to send people two different ways,” Macafee said. “We’ve got two vehicles and with insurance, licensing, and gas, this is really going to help.”

The Veteran’s Honor Guards will also use the donations for veterans relief projects, like building wheelchair ramps for disabled veterans.

Sam’s Club and Stonecom presented the donations to the honor guards on Thursday.

“It’s an honor and a privilege to be able to serve and help those who have done so much for us,” Sam’s Club Manager Rob Holzer said. “We need to honor their sacrifice and this is how we can do that.”

Residents throughout multiple drives donated in honor of one of the military branches. The Army received the most dedicated donations during the Battle of the Branches Blood Drive.