The Operation Welcome Home celebration taking place at the World War II Victory Museum (now the National Military History Center) did more than embrace and thank the hundreds of veterans who poured onto the grounds to listen to music, grab a ride in a Huey helicopter, or gaze at the traveling Vietnam Wall. The event also benefited a local homeless shelter that was struggling to complete a suite of rooms designed specifically for homeless vets.

The Shepherd's House in Fort Wayne has been around for 10 years. Both the founder, Lonnie Cox, and the Director, Jim "Gunny" Zuber are Ex-Marines who are passionate about trying to help their fellow vets. When the organizers of Operation Welcome Home read about Shepherd's House and the problems the facility faced raising the last $3,000 they needed to complete the suite, they decided that it was a cause worth "rallying the troops" for. Mike Jackson and Tara Dixon-Engel, President and Vice President of the American Veterans Institute, which organizes the Operation Welcome Home celebrations, pledged the $3,000 to Lonnie Cox and his wife Barbara, who operate the center. Then, Robert Krafft, Director of the National Military History Center, and his staff began working with the AVI officials to raise the needed funds throughout the weekend celebration.

Dixon-Engel introduced the Shepherd's House officials during a moving Memorial Service on July 4. "These people are wholly dedicated to giving our veterans one of those second chances that America is so famous for...and no one deserves a second chance more than somebody who has defended America's freedom," Dixon-Engel told a standing room only crowd at the service.

During a US Air Force band of Flight concert Saturday night, Krafft, Jackson and Dixon Engel once again urged the crowd to support the shelter's efforts. Their pleas netted over $1,500 the night of the concert. Organizers were thrilled to announce that not only did they raise the $3,000, but many local organizations and churches have pledged support to Shepherd's House. "Many people who dropped money into our buckets Saturday night also told me that their churches were taking up a special collection on Sunday," Dixon-Engel said. "It was truly heart-warming to see how the citizens of northern Indiana responded to our veterans in need. And the folks at the National Military History Center deserve a huge pat on the back. They spread the word and worked tirelessly to raise that money. On Saturday night we had the museum volunteers and staff, their spouses, and even their kids working the crowd for donations. Every one of our Operation Welcome Home events is a little different, but this one will live on as the one that truly reinforced our belief in people and in good old fashioned faith!"

Jackson, Dixon-Engel and Krafft presented a check for $2,300, plus one for $650, donated by Mr. Roger Souder of Auburn, and one for $50 -- totaling $3,000 -- to Lonnie and Barbara Cox at 1 p.m. on July 6.

"This has been a wonderful blessing and we are hearing from other organizations and individuals in the community that they want to get involved in the our efforts," Barbara Cox explained. "When you are running a facility like ours, every little bit counts. The National Military History Center donated a whole pallet of hamburger buns the other night and people have organized toilet paper drives for us! Right now we could use several new beds for the veterans' facility, but after the outpouring of support and generosity recently, I know the Lord will provide. We have been overwhelmed by people's kindness."