Volunteers prepare the food boxes at a previous session. Photo Courtesy of Tim Montes
By Mary Alice Murphy

In the few months since DAV (Disabled American Veterans) Chapter 1 Fort Bayard began delivering food to veterans and dependents of veterans, the group estimates it has distributed more than 10,000 pounds of food, according to Tim Montes, one of the members and volunteers.

The group every month on the third Wednesday meets to unload the food that is delivered onto tables, where volunteers separate everything and place them into boxes for distribution. They usually put together about 60 boxes of food.

Although the volunteers have been meeting at the Bataan Memorial Park Pavilion, because of upcoming construction when the park will be closed, on August 18 next month, the group plans to meet for about the next three months at the Little Theater on the Fort Bayard National Historic Landmark campus.

Barney Jaramillo and Charlie Deming organized and began the effort. Up to now, the DAV chapter has been paying all the costs.

However, any and all donations are welcome, as are volunteers for putting together the boxes and delivering them to those who need them.

For more information and to learn more about how you can help, you are invited to call DAV Chapter Adjutant Charlie Deming at 575-313-5594 or Barney Jaramillo at 575-313-1554.

Arlena Conklin, who has long been active in the chapter, helped today with getting the boxes put together. "I'm always out and about for my veterans."

One of the last boxes of bread left today. Photo by Mary Alice Murphy