I'm McKenna Boures reporting for Fred TV. After years of planning and fundraising, the Veterans Association of Bristol County is about to complete a mission. Board members are close to celebrating their most important victory to date.
0:13And the city of Fall River will always support them. This move down to uh Globe Street uh is really going to allow them to broaden their horizons and do a lot more to help veterans uh integrate better into the community, get jobs, housing. More than 200 people tooured a solo exhibit by Brian Fox titled In the Valley of the Shadow. The haunting portraits depict war scenes from World
0:36War II through current day. Sadly, the theme of battle is timeless.
0:41So, always nice to help out and it's always looking for a reason to give back. And with the veterans, they're always in need, so we need to always step up as citizens and help these guys out. The Veterans Association outgrew their building on Pine Street and they just bought a new building on Glo Street and they hope to open it next spring.
1:00You can view the Brian Fox exhibit through the end of the year at Narrow Center on Anowan Street. Marine Ken Lec told the audience local vets are overdue for a modernized central location.
1:10And we just keep doing what we're doing, right? And I think since day one, I've said if we do the right thing for the right reason, good things are going to happen. And here we are almost four years later. Um, worst worstkept secret, we are moving.
1:28Fingers crossed. So, as we move forward, I hope you'll stay involved. Come visit the new center when it opens. Volunteer, spread the word, support in whatever ways you can because every bit makes a difference. Christine Tron served 30 years in the army, learning several languages to serve as an interrogator.
1:50And what would you like to say to any female in the military right now?
1:56Watch your back. Watch your buddy's back. Watch your buddy's back regardless of gender.
2:04It's important that teamwork for everybody, but always remember you're standing you're standing on the shoulders of women who've been assaulted, who've been killed, who have trauma that are still working through it, and who have killed themselves over it because they cannot get over for it.
2:36Keep what you've been given by other women.
2:42Go with it, work with it, and do not give up. The new building will have rooms for private counseling on PTSD and other medical needs. In addition, office space will be available for specialists to help vets with financial and career planning, as well as VA loans for home ownership. And there are plans for a large refrigeration system. That's critical. At times, the Pine Street Center has to turn away food donations
3:08due to lack of storage space. I'm McKenna Boures reporting from the Fred TV news desk.