Day 144: Memorial Day: A Fitting Tribute to Fighting Men and Women

I don't know whether you're a vet or if you have any near relatives who are; I'm not, but my father is, and a great many of my friends are veterans, some of whom did tours of Korea, Vietnam, and the Middle East. I don't know if you'll be spending the day at the beach or at the mall, but you wouldn't be able to indulge in either activity if it weren't for the sacrifices made by armed forces personnel to keep us free. I'd like to think that at some point during this holiday that you'd find a way to express your thanks. Here's mine:

A regular feature of this site has been my progress reports regarding efforts to help Cindy Kelly with her mission at the Chatham-Savannah Homeless Authority. My last report detailed an ongoing project to build "tiny houses" on city property, and I'm happy to report further that an agreement has been reached with Cindy and the builder I introduced her to, and we're hoping to break ground shortly.

The idea behind "tiny houses" is to provide a temporary shelter for those who are most deserving of help while in transition and are looking for a way to get back in the game, and there are no more deserving homeless people than veterans.

As the next mayor of Savannah, I am going to continue the efforts already begun to help the homeless in general and the homeless veterans in particular. I think the homeless vet goes to the front of the line when it comes to public assistance, regardless of what kind of assistance they may need. After all, they were made to stand in enough lines while doing their duty to this nation. They shouldn't have to wait any longer than absolutely necessary for shelter-- not when the rest of us are living in the comfort of homes that have been protected by veterans.