House for veterans dedicated

BELLEVUE - It's moving day at a home in Bellevue. Volunteers maneuver through tight quarters.

"I wanted to help in the community, and the veterans. I feel like I accomplished something by helping someone else," said volunteer Stacy Paplham.

The three-bedroom house needs to be ready in less than a month.

"What a great home this is going to be," said Andrew Schuster of the state Department of Veterans Affairs.

A dedication ceremony Tuesday morning celebrated the new KI Hope House. It will be a transition home for a veteran and his or her family. KI Incorporated provided the house. Corporate donations and volunteers took it from there.

"Sometimes we as a community, as a society have to find ways to fit in, to help these people when they come back home," said Mark Bonevetz from Rebuilding Together of Green Bay.

According to the Department of Veterans Affairs, more than 33,000 Wisconsinites served our country since 9/11. With wars in Iraq and Afghanistan winding down, needs of the veterans are hitting home.

"So often our brave men and women come home and they don't have jobs, they're not ready for society. And it's not that they can't, it's just that it takes a little more time," said Bonevetz.

"Maybe things have changed in the family. They get a divorce; they didn't have a civilian job to go back to. They're kind of stuck," said Mike Vaessen, a veteran.

Vaessen returned from Afghanistan five weeks ago. He served three tours overseas with the 432nd Civil Affairs Battalion.

"This house is going to be a great thing for somebody that's in need," said Vaessen.

Organizers say veterans can stay from three months to two years. The family will pay for utilities, while saving money for an apartment or house down the line.

"It's going to be unbelievable to the person who enters this house and is going to be allowed to walk out a totally different family," said Dave Behrend, VFW Post 7534.

The VFW has been taking applications from prospective veterans. The KI Hope House is scheduled to be ready June 1.