Lynn McCullough addresses American Legion Auxiliary
TRU Thrift Shop Manager Lynn McCullough and two TRU volunteers recently addressed the American Legion Auxiliary in Longmont. The presenters were invited by Jo Lucia, President of the Longmont American Legion Auxiliary and a three-year TRU Thrift Shop volunteer. The meeting took place on February 11 during the Auxiliary’s Valentine’s Day Tea Party.
Lynn acknowledged the American Legion’s commitment to “destigmatizing mental health support, offering peer-to-peer resources and empowering everyone to help prevent veteran suicide,” noting that TRU shares these goals. She noted that TRU Thrift Shop proceeds support TRU Community Care, which serves local veterans as a Level Five We Honor Veterans (WHV) hospice partner, and that active and retired military members receive a 20% discount daily at the shop.
Jessica DeSimone, a patient/family volunteer serving on TRU’s We Honor Veterans (WHV) committee, and Tina Marie Garcia, an Army veteran and TRU volunteer who provides comfort to hospice patients, presented about the WHV program. They emphasized the importance of peer-to-peer veteran support and described their pinning ceremonies for former military personnel, which are particularly meaningful for Vietnam Veterans who often weren’t properly welcomed home or thanked for their service.
Lesley Clayton, another Thrift Shop volunteer, served tea using china from her personal collection, some purchased from TRU Thrift Shop. She noted that the shop “has outlets for everything from medical equipment for veterans to clothes for the needy and even down to giving away old clothes for use as rags. Nothing goes to waste.”
Jo Lucia expressed gratitude on behalf of the American Legion Auxiliary Post #32, thanking Lynn, Jessica, and Tina for sharing valuable information about the TRU Thrift Shop and Veterans’ End of Life Services. “We look forward to working more closely with TRU in the future,” she concluded.