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Vet to raffle roadster to help homeless heroes
Vet to raffle roadster to help homeless heroes
By JOAN DEMIRJIAN
Tony Campanella, of Chester, a U.S. Army veteran, is hoping to build a home for homeless veterans.
He has founded a charity, House Our Heroes, to help find housing. And to raise money to build it, he is raffling his own 1965 Corvette Roadster. The drawing will be held on Veterans Day, Nov. 11.
There are more than 107,000 homeless veterans in the United States, and most people believe the government takes care of its veterans after they complete service, he said.
"It is a misconception, even for veterans left disabled from war," Mr. Campanella said.
It is a problem that he said he cannot ignore, and he founded House Our Heroes last year. It is dedicated to helping homeless veterans in Cuyahoga, Geauga, Lake and Ashtabula counties find housing and the training they need to become productive citizens.
Many veterans come home from active duty and are living with a parent or friend, he said.
"In my estimation, it is a problem and something needs to be done," he said. "We're looking to build or buy a facility as inexpensively as possible," Mr. Campanella said.
A volunteer staff will assist and the government's daily stipend of $35 per veteran will help cover some of the costs. The support program that House Our Heroes provides will assist the veterans with counseling and transportation for medical treatments.
The program will help each veteran gain employment and transition to their own permanent housing, he said.
House Our Heroes board members include state Sen. Timothy J. Grendell, R-Chester, Shalla Halverson, a Desert Storm veteran, Chuck Lamarca, a World War II veteran, and the Rev. Neil Walters, of the Church of St. Clarence.
Mr. Campanella met the Rev. Walters while serving as a volunteer prayer minister at the Cuyahoga County prison.
He said he was surprised by the number of homeless veterans in jail, and many do not have a lot of options when released.
Mr. Campanella served in the U.S. Army in the 1960s, with 13 months of duty in Korea. He has lived in Chester 36 years.
As long as he can remember, he said, he has been interested in old cars. He participates in area cruise-in events in the area.
His four-speed Corvette being raffled has a 327-cubic inch engine, with 300 horsepower.
"It has been totally restored," Mr. Campanella said of red convertible. "All components are original to the car. It has the original engine block.
"It runs and rides beautifully," he said. The car's value is at $50,000 to $60,000, according to Mr. Campanella. It is a rare car.
"Every Thursday, weather permitting, we are at Our Town Cafe in Chester," he said.
More information on the raffle tickets is available by calling 440-602-2892. Tickets are $25 each or five for $100. A maximum of 5,000 tickets will be sold.
"It has been totally restored. All components are original to the car. It has the original engine block. It runs and rides beautifully.
Tony Campanella
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