McHenry County Blog

I had not a clue what a “Stand Down” was, but National Association of Systems Administrators Education Foundation head John Blanchard and probably every other veteran in the country does.

A Navy veteran, Blanchard told me a Stand Down

typically was a safe place for combat or touring military to go to get

· their uniforms mended, replaced or cleaned,
· medical attention,
· their mail,
· warm meals and
· safe sleep.

With a U.S. Department of Labor grant of $8,000, NASA Education Foundation provided all of that Monday and Tuesday at Camp Algonquin. It was helped by numerous volunteers, including Gary Jensen, seen here with State Senator Pam Althoff.

While the event did not reach the expected 50-70 men--and could have accommodated 100--26 did attend.

“I think that this is only the tip of the problem,” Blanchard observed.

“I know that they are out there and since I’ll be able to provide mini-Stand Downs every other month with two (big ones) yearly,” Blanchard said, “I know that 50-70 will be touched very soon.”

Mike Iwanicki, Superintendent of the Veterans Assistant Commission of McHenry County interjected,

You probably reached 26 guys that weren’t reached before.

And, this is the first year.

“They can report back that it’s not so scary,” his wife Stacy added.

Blanchard told me that he had overheard some of the veterans, who were smoking outside Monday night during the downpour, say that their friends might wish they had come, too. That probably will be the case with many when they discover they missed out on a shower, clean clothes and a private room for the night, not to mention missing Monday night football.

Blanchard intends to hold mini-Stand Downs every other month at his Route 31 office, which is on the top of the hill north of the Terra Cotta factory close to the cellular phone towers. The address is 3305 S. Route 31, Crystal Lake (although Map Quest can’t find it, Blanchard says).

I asked Blanchard why he put the 2-day event together.

He explained there were 3 reasons:

The homeless veterans. I know they’re there. They need the services. They need the help. They need everything this Stand Down could give them.

Richmond’s Dale Rice added,

Services they are entitled to.

Blanchard continued,

The awareness of the community of the presence of homeless veterans.

Pete Castillo, my former legislative assistant who is now the county’s Disabled Veterans' Outreach Program Specialist, added,

"The community has to be prepared to receive them."

The third reason given by Blanchard was

to get all of these service providers who graciously gave their time to be here and mingle and collaborate with each other.

“I learned a lot from the veterans and a lot from service organizations that were here,” he added. “I was very disappointed that TLS (New Horizons Transitional Living Services) did not send somebody out here."

TLS operates the old Hebron motel for homeless veterans.

Blanchard said, “A lot of these veterans had no idea TLS is even here.”

Home of the Sparrow donated enough clothes and there are enough other supplies (toiletries, for example) “that we can do it every other month at our office,” Blanchard said of future Stand Downs.

There was some strange discouragement with regard to efforts to let veterans know of the Stand Down. Driver Joe Lewis of the bus that transports veterans places they need to go told me that notices that had been posted at train stations at Crystal Lake, McHenry and Cary had mysteriously disappeared after posting. Lewis put them back up.

It’s possible that some homeless veterans took them down so they could remember where to go. But it is also possible that someone else took down the Metra-approved postings down.

I am pleased to see that the Northwest Herald finally found the NASA Educational Foundation.

Previous McHenry County Blog articles about Blanchard are

April 24, 2006
Crystal Laker John Blanchard Helps Finance Washington Veterans March 2006

April 25, 2006
Vietnam Veteran Ed Bolf's Recovery from Post Tramatic Stress Disorder and His Re-entry into Society with the Help of NASA, a Crystal Lake Organization

= = = = =
John Blanchard talks with State Senator Pam Althoff and State Rep. Mike Tryon at Camp Algonquin's Stand Down for homeless veterans.

Beneath is State Senator Pam Althoff with volunteer Gary Jensen, a former Commander of the Algonquin American Legion.

The top head shot is of Mike Iwanicki, the Superintendent of the Veterans Assistance Commission of McHenry County.

Between Iwanicki and the next head shot is the sign found on the McHenry County veterans bus: "Stand Down for Homeless Veterans."

The veterans bus driver is Joe Lewis.

Labels: Camp Algonquin, Homeless, John Blanchard, NASA Educational Foundation, Pete Castillo, Stand Down, Veterans, Vets