CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — Several businesses and individuals have offered assistance to get the Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 2397's A/C running again.
The VFW post was left hot under the collar after thieves stole the copper coils from the its air conditioning units. KRIS 6 News reported on the theft Monday.
“I want to thank you for doing that for us," VFW Post 2397 Commander Lazaro Camarillo III said of KRIS 6 News' coverage. "We appreciate that.”
More important to the VFW is the outpouring of support from local air-conditioning businesses and the rest of the community.
One company even offered to sell new A/C units to the VFW at-cost -- with zero profit -- and install them for free.
“Like we say (in the military), no man left behind," VFW Post 2397 Senior Vice Commander Al Cantu said. "And I want to thank the community for not leaving us behind.”
Individual citizens also are offering financial support.
Marine Corps veteran Ronald Chadwick doesn't have reliable transportation, but he still wanted to donate to the VFW.
So, he copped a cab from Annaville, carrying the $120 in cash he brought to the post Tuesday.
“I’d seen it on TV that they had problems and needed help," Chadwick said. "And I always help my brothers."
There's also a fundraising website set up to assist the VFW.
“If it wasn’t for the community, and the support of the community, we couldn’t continue doing our job helping veterans and their families," Camarillo said.
The air-conditioning company that's working with the VFW estimates that it could have the A/C running again as early as the middle of next week.
