Veterans group closing operations

Like the passage of time, all good things have a shelf life. Welcome All Veterans Everywhere, Inc. of Douglas County is closing operations in 2024. No official date has been set. WAVE’s Board of Directors will make that determination in a few weeks. WAVE’s Board believes that most of the goals and mission of WAVE have been accomplished. That said, there is still much to be done for veterans and their families in Douglas.

About 10 years ago, sometime in 2014, two local U.S military veterans saw a need in Douglas County to support the life of needy U.S. military veterans. Carl Schnock and Barry Penzel encountered several men that served in uniform that were struggling to find housing, transportation, medical care, and employment. Taking it upon themselves to find solutions, Carl and Barry joined up with a few other veterans and local service groups to raise funds, deliver services and recognize the value of these men and women. It was a humble but dynamic beginning of Welcome All Veterans Everywhere, Inc. (WAVE).

With the help of the Tahoe-Douglas Elks Lodge’s donation, Carl and Barry began campaigning to get Douglas County Social Services to recommend needy veterans to WAVE.

Carl and Barry contacted the Nevada Department of Veteran Services (NDVS) to direct a Veteran Service Officer (VSO) to spend more time in our county. First at the original DC Senior Center and then later at the new DC Community and Senior Center.

Next, was a push to get the County Parks and Recreation department to add WAVE to the many organizations already helping out struggling families in Douglas County.

Along the way, many, many people here got involved (including the author) that see “giving back” to America’s Heroes as important. Many of the people leading WAVE are not veterans. The strength of WAVE is the mix of veterans and non-veterans to achieve WAVE’s goals.

In 2015 WAVE began to hold formal membership meetings at the Partnership for Community Resources’s office in Minden. Carl served as the first WAVE President.

Over the 10 years of WAVE, the most successful effort of WAVE has been the Vetting Committee to identify, certify and classify any needy veteran for help. The vetting committee has offered help with hous-ing, transportation, help filing claims for benefits with the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (DVA), Douglas County Social Servies, NDVS, Parks and Rec (DCPR), and several other local service organizations.

WAVE has always strived to recruit and embolden new members. However, it is becoming evi-dent that younger, more vibrant community members have responsibilities that prohibit them from de-voting time and energy to WAVE. We completely respect their life choices. Many of WAVE also went through these times and were not ready to be leaders and drivers of local service groups. This inability to bring in new leaders is leading WAVE’s Board to close the doors.

As of the end of 2023, WAVE has delivered help to 600+ men and women veterans living in and around Douglas.

Some of the local event’s WAVE has participated in or hosted include:

Carson Valley Days

Big Mama’s Car show

Christmas parade

Hosting Veteran’s Day Events

One of WAVE’s most successful efforts was the creation of the Appreciation Monument on the grounds of the Old Douglas County Courthouse. Individual, corporate, non-profit, county and public donations afforded WAVE the time and funds to build and donate the Monument to the County.

Over the last few years, dozens of citizens have donated “memorial bricks” around the Monument.

Other WAVE successes since 2014 include:

Being named the first Veterans Community Council by the Nevada Department of Veterans Ser-vices;

WAVE members recognized as Veterans Supporter by NDVS;

Participating in the ground breaking and dedication ceremonies for the Northern Nevada Nursing Home in Sparks; and

Receiving County grant funds to deliver services to veterans: transportation, housing, filing claims, employment assistance, and home repairs.

Over the years WAVE has recruited dozens of community leaders, organizations, and individuals to breathe life and energy into the original core of leaders. Local community organizations and groups joining WAVE include:

Sertoma, Douglas County Women Republicans, Partnership of Community Resources, Giving Tree, and Douglas County Board of Commissioners;

In 2023 WAVE gave $500.00 scholarships to Douglas High School Army JRTOC cadets;

In 2017 WAVE was recognized by NDVS as the first Veterans Community Counsel;

WAVE BOD member David Arroues was recognized by NDVS as a Veteran of the Year;

WAVE BOD member Tom Zogorski was recognized by NDVS as a Veteran Supporter of the Month;

WAVE is deeply involved in supporting legislation through the United Veterans Legislative Coun-cil (UVLC) at the Nevada State Legislature;

NDVS supports WAVE by sending key personnel to General Membership meetings;

U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs supports WAVE by attending General Membership meetings;

Since 2019 WAVE has given financial support for The Sage Hens and Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 3630 of Topaz Ranch Estates for their monthly community breakfast.

The need to find and assist local veterans and their families continues unabated. The reality for Doug-las County is that WAVE will not be there soon to fill the void. WAVE has set a strong standard for our community since 2014. We hope that another group of highly motivated citizens will take up the chal-lenge and serve the women and men that served America.

Carl Schnock, WAVE President, will make the formal announcement for us. We, the Board, and all members of WAVE, thank the citizens of Douglas County for your support and appreciation. We are con-fident that someone will step forward and continue the efforts to help America’s Heroes. Our deep, heartfelt thank you to all Nevada citizens for your support, donations, and participation these 10 years. We will always remember what all of us have achieved for our Heroes.

WAVE Board of Directors

Carl Schnock – President

John Milazzo – Vice-President

Carl Schnock – Treasurer

Karen Beckerbauer – Secretary

Darrol Brown, Vern Rogers, Tom Zogorski