Chartered in 1917, VFW Post 76 , the oldest VFW post in Texas, has served hundreds of veterans over the years, and its website says thousands have passed under the arches to the post along the San Antonio River.
Charles Zambrano, the golf tournament chairman, said more veterans who need services are returning from the Iraq and Afghanistan conflicts, and the economic downturn is affecting veterans. The post decided to start a golf tournament to increase its coffers for emergency relief for veterans.
"We have been finding out that there’s a lot of veterans coming back from the Gulf War and we have other veterans from Vietnam and Korea that because of the economy are increasingly running up against financial problems," Zambrano said.
Zambrano said veterans who need assistance usually apply through the VA, or through the VFWs, but non-emergency items take at least a month for approval. The Post maintains an emergency fund to serve veterans that need help faster.
"We had a couple one time who had all their possessions stolen from them -- their vehicle and everything -- and we paid for the family to go back to Minnesota, I believe. They were going to be stuck here so we went ahead and gave them that money," Zambrano said.
Zambrano said several local companies have sign on as sponsors, including Frost Bank. There are 144 spots available for the tournament, scheduled for Friday, Oct. 11.
