Veteran-friendly program expanding to Anderson County
It’s a simple, and noble, concept: Giving back to those who have sacrificed for this country.
The Veterans Appreciation Program of East Tennessee (VAP) does that, founder Larry Sharp explained.
And he’s wanting to spread that message into Anderson County.
Sharp, a Vietnam veteran, remembers a time when soldiers returned home from serving their country in a time of war and were spat at.
“Thank God we’ve moved beyond that,” he said. “It took a while, but I think people now realize to appreciate the men and women who serve our country.”
The program invites businesses to put their money where their mouth is — literally.
“There are a lot of businesses that offer discounts to veterans,” Sharp said. “But they don’t display it, don’t let anyone know until they ask.”
With VAP each business pays at least a $300 annual membership. The business is given a display for its door saying it’s part of the program and offers discounts to veterans, as well as being promoted on VAP’s website.
Businesses may pick and choose what discounts they offer veterans.
Sharp said there are a lot of businesses that may not have services to offer — such as manufacturers — but they sign up with VAP because they appreciate what veterans mean to our country.
“They’ll say, ‘We really like this program, but we don’t really offer anything,’ and they’ll just write a check,” Sharp said. You might wonder how that helps veterans or the business in question.
You’d be surprised.
First off, any veteran who sees the signage on the door or sees that business listed on the VAP website, knows that business is veteran-friendly.
A veteran-friendly business meets one of the following criteria: “veteran-owned, actively recruits and employs veterans, offers discounts or special services to veterans, allows veterans to go to the front of the line or is active in veteran causes.”
Veterans have family. They have friends. They belong to organizations with other veterans. They talk, and they let others know who’s veteran-friendly. Sharp said, “It’s another way to get the business name out on the street.”
Secondly, VAP helps veterans — not just with showing where to get veteran’s discounts — but in real time crises. In 2016 VAP helped a disabled East Tennessee veteran obtain a hospital bed for his home — something that was outside of the Veterans’ Administration criteria.
“Let’s say a veteran goes to Leon Jaquet (Anderson County Veterans Service Officer) and tells him his air conditioning or heater has gone out and they can’t afford to get it fixed,” Sharp said.
“There’s nothing in place to help a vet with something like that. So, we set up an emergency fund for situations like this,” Sharp said.
Sharp said he has spoken with Jaquet and the Service Officer “likes the idea.” When it comes to fruition Sharp said the emergency fund would be under a separate account and accessible for emergencies.
In Knox County a percentage of VAP sponsorship goes to the Ben Atchley State Veteran’s Home — something Sharp is very proud of.
A veteran himself, Sharp said any way VAP can help veterans, “We’re on board.”
VAP has received endorsements from Knox County officials — it began in Knox County in 2015 — and Sharp picked up an endorsement from Anderson County Mayor Terry Frank in 2016 when the expansion into Anderson County became a possibility.
“Personally, I believe that the men and women who have served our nation deserve to be treated with the utmost respect, and that respect should be displayed in a variety of ways!” Frank wrote in a letter to Sharp in July, 2016.
There are several levels of sponsorship in the program.
To find out about the levels and more about the program, go to the VAP website at VeteransAppreciationProgram.com, or e-mail Sharp at VeteransAppreciationProgram@gmail.com.
