Brian Basham was connecting with his longtime friend Derek VanTuyl when the two had the idea to create Coffee with Veterans. That grew into a nonprofit named Veterans Empowered Together (VET), which hosts gatherings for veterans the second Saturday of every month.
At the first meeting during the Fall of 2021, six veterans attended. At the second one there were 15, and by the third more than 55 veterans attended. Basham and VanTuyl originally formed the idea to bridge the gap between the generations of veterans, plus connect with the community.
“It’s an excellent opportunity for veterans to connect with each other and the community,” Basham said. “It gives veterans a sense of purpose and belonging. When you leave the service, you often lose a sense of brotherhood. We want to fill that void as much as possible.”
Basham spends his days working for the State of Kentucky as a case manager for disabled veterans. His struggle to get veterans to come to his office and use his services inspired Basham to host the first coffee event.
VET partners with the VFW, AMVETS 75, AMVETS 119, and the American Legion on several occasions, using their buildings to host the meetings. They also partner with other community organizations for projects, such as working with Habitat for Humanity to build a house for a young veteran and his family.
“When a young veteran gets discharged, they sometimes go to a Veterans Service Organization and expect it to be like what they just left,” Basham said. “The mission of VET was to make it where younger generations can fill a part of it. We often see a young veteran sit with an older veteran and discover they have more in common than they thought.”
Basham said seeing that connection has been rewarding. Despite the evolving military and varying experiences among generations, he said the veterans share more in common than they thought.
He added that the community support has been second to none, and VET is incredibly grateful to Southern Star, Independence Bank, and more for their continued support.
“We love the community, and we love helping veterans in the community,” he said. “We’re happy to be a part of Owensboro and to provide a support system for veterans.”
Basham and the team do not want to slow down anytime soon, as they are constantly searching for growth opportunities. Visit veteransempoweredtogether.com to learn more.
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Today, with a membership base of nearly 1,000, the Chamber is a guiding force in community and business development initiatives, serving as the center of business advocacy for the Greater Owensboro region.
To learn more about becoming the Chamber Member of the Week or inquire about Chamber membership, contact Shelly Nichols, Chamber Vice President, at 270-926-1860 or [email protected].
