Nov. 30--BRISTOL, Tenn. -- Tears ran down April Taylor's face as scores of homeless military veterans said thanks, gave hugs and accepted some simple tokens of the region's appreciation.

The emotional scene cascaded down on the Twin City country singer, her band and volunteers last December inside the Veterans Affairs Medical Center in Johnson City, Tenn., where they delivered some Christmas cheer.

"We couldn't have done this without the community coming together, stepping up and supporting our veterans," Taylor said. "It was the first time we've done this and nobody knew what to expect. When we rolled in there with 900 shoebox gifts, they [veterans] were like kids in a toy store."

The brightly colored boxes and gift bags were prepared by individuals, businesses, churches, scout troops and civic organizations, Taylor said. Their simple contents -- warm clothing, toiletries, candy, Bibles and cards containing words of encouragement -- elicited reactions worth many times their actual cost,

she said.

With the holiday season approaching, Taylor and the Bristol Tennessee Parks and Recreation Department are again gearing up to share Christmas with homeless veterans.

Modeled after Samaritan's Purse and its Operation Christmas Child program, the grass-roots effort provides inexpensive, needed items to veterans living outside society's mainstream.

This year, the Appalachian Regional Council on Homelessness has joined the program and will help deliver gift items not distributed at the VA Center to veterans in its eight-county Northeast Tennessee service area, ARCH President Dan Rosenbalm said.

"Our last point in time count, we counted 600 homeless individuals. Under the HUD [Department of Housing and Urban Development] formula, you figure 10 times that amount is your homeless population," Rosenbalm said. "The veterans population is approximately 34 percent."

Based on that formula, the ARCH service area has more than 2,000 homeless military veterans. Many are dealing with substance abuse or mental illness, Rosenbalm said.

"These are mostly from Vietnam through the current conflicts in Afghanistan and Iraq," Rosenbalm said. "We don't see a lot of people from World War II and Korea. But the average homeless individual dies at age 42."

Typically, there are about 280 homeless veterans at the Johnson City facility's domiciliary. Boxes not distributed there in 2008 were delivered to veterans at other area Salvation Army and homeless shelters.

Last year's project was "absolutely unbelievable," Rosenbalm said, adding that Taylor has brought her enthusiasm to his organization's board of directors.

"She has quite a passion for the veterans," Rosenbalm said.

Taylor's first single "Hero at Home" paid tribute to the wives of soldiers and struck a chord with the U.S. military.

In the past three years, she has performed twice at the Pentagon, visited the Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Washington, D.C., and she works with

the national Fisher House program, which provides temporary housing for the families of hospitalized veterans.

"I always wanted my music to be a ministry and that single has allowed me to somewhat minister to those military families," Taylor said. "I told my kids, this needs to happen every year. If I can't do it, I want the project to continue on."

Last year, most gifts were packaged inside brightly wrapped shoe boxes but some of the most popular arrived in reusable shopping bags.

"We had 900 boxes and one family filled 30 reusable bags. And the bags were the first to go," said Mallory Cross, programmer for the city department.

This year, grocery chain Food City has donated 500 reusable bags for those who go to the Slater Community Center and request them. About a dozen bags have already been returned and this year's program is just beginning.

"They can carry the bags more easily and keep them with them, where a box is harder to carry," Taylor said. "If someone doesn't get one of the free ones, most retailers sell them for $1. Or if someone wants to wrap up a box, we're not turning them away."

Bags or boxes can include personal hygiene items, gloves, socks, a warm hat, winter scarf, fleece blankets, playing cards, hard candy, Bibles and crossword puzzles. A complete list is available at the Slater Center, 320 McDowell St.

Bags or boxes may be dropped off at the Slater Center of Bristol Virginia Utilities, 15022 Lee Highway through Dec. 16. Delivery is scheduled for Dec. 18.

For more information call (423) 764-4012.

| (276) 645-2532

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