MOUNTAIN CITY, Tn. — When Helene hit Johnson County, veterans who call Post 6908 their home away from home went to offer support to their community.

But now, they’re asking for help.

The station, ranked No. 1 in the state of Tennessee, was badly damaged during the storm.

Destruction of the heating and air system, plumbing and injury to structural support.

But even as their post was damaged, the veterans turned their attention to the community.

“My motto is veterans first, but community always,” said Dan Parsons, commander of Post 6908.

Many at their post picked up chainsaws and went to work to help a mother whose son is currently serving in the armed forces.

“Us being involved in the community and veterans seeing us doing it makes them gravitate towards it. Veterans need to take care of veterans and all it takes is for them to see a veteran doing something and they want to help,” Parsons said.

But now the post is looking to rebuild itself.

Parsons says this would actually be a good time to expand, as the VFW reaches nearly a hundred members — which the building can’t hold.

“We really want to spend $100,000 to $150,000 to fix up an undersized building that we have off the parking lot,” Parsons said.

But the station is more than a building.

For Steven Owens, it’s a gathering place for their brothers and sisters in arms.

“We all talk, we have similar experiences, we have similar experiences, and so sometimes it’s nice to talk to somebody else who’s been through it,” Owens said.

To continue providing support to the community, Parsons says the VFW needs your support.

“We need as much as we can get from the surrounding areas of the local community as a whole to help us continue to do what we’re doing, continue to carry out the mission of the VFW mission, which is taking care of veterans,” he said. said.

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