Bowling Green VFW gives car to veteran who survived tornado, collects supplies for others

BOWLING GREEN, Ky. (WBKO) - A veteran whose home and several belongings were destroyed in the tornado, now has transportation again, thanks to the local Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 1298 in Bowling Green.

CW3 Billy Burgett, chief warrant officer in the Kentucky National Guard, received the keys to the car Tuesday morning at the organization’s building on KY-185. The car was donated to the VFW by another group in the state.

For Burgett, getting the car meant a lot, especially after seeing the destruction caused by the tornadoes on December 11.

“Waking up the morning after the tornado and seeing everything destroyed,” he said. “My whole heart sunk, sunk down-- real deep, and getting a call that someone out there is willing to give me a car to help me out and get me back on my feet. It was just overwhelming.”

Burgett also took the time to thank the VFW and Glenn Skaggs, Commander of VFW Post 1298, for thinking of him.

“I just like to thank the VFW for reaching out to other people and finding the vehicle they could donate to me,” he said.

VFW Post 1298 in Bowling Green is also serving as a tornado relief supply site. Veterans with the VFW say they have received numerous donations from people and organizations from all over the country. Anyone who was impacted by the storms can stop by their post and pick up supplies such as food, water, diapers, baby food and other items.

The hours are 10 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Monday through Friday.

“We are overwhelmed with water and all that right now and trying to store all this stuff. If people want to donate really, it’s best to do a cash or gift card contribution. You can do it through the VFW tornado relief. It goes through our State Department. So we know how everything’s handled, tracked and taken care of,” said Glenn Skaggs, Commander of VFW Post 1298.

The VFW is comprised of combat veterans with almost 14,000 members and 86 posts scattered across the state.

“This is a perfect example of how we serve our community. We’re just not a bunch of old guys sitting around the table here telling war stories. We get out. We do things. We want to see our communities grow. We want to see them better. And so when there’s a need, we’re going to fill it,” said Edwin Vincent, State Commander for Department of Kentucky VFW.

Another VFW in Maine donated a portable trailer to give to a veteran who is homeless now because of the tornado.

Bowling Green’s VFW Post is located at 1965 KY-185.

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