Veterans House Victoria, formerly known as Cockrell House, is a place of refuge for military veterans who deserve far more than what society has provided for them.
Located in Colwood, the transitional housing facility works to help ex-military personnel integrate back into civilian society.
“It’s estimated that there are some 2,600 homeless veterans on the streets of (B.C.), but personally, I think the number is probably closer to 3,000,” said Terri Orser, one of the volunteer administrators of the house.
Orser, herself a veteran who did four tours of duty in conflict zones including the Gulf War, and deployments to the former Yugoslavia, left the military suffering from PTSD and in need of assistance. She spent some time at the facility. Fifteen years ago, she lived at and managed the facility and now continues to help support the program.
“We have eight veterans in here right now, and this year we’ve helped a total of 13,” said Orser.
And while that may not seem a significant number given the overwhelming need, it is a lifesaving service to the people who have been helped.
Veterans House Victoria operates under the auspices of the Vancouver Island Housing Society and helps veterans make the necessary connections with the bureaucracy at Veterans Affairs. That can be daunting to some who need help the most.
Dave Sinclair, the business development chair of the Housing Society described one Catch-22 as an example.
“Most of the veterans in this situation don’t have family doctors. That poses a problem since Veterans Affairs requires the guys to have forms filled out and signed by a doctor. Walk-in clinics don’t tend to do that so they are stuck. We’re lucky enough to have a doctor on our board who does that service for them.”
“The government has fallen down and we’re helping to pick up the pieces and help these people put their lives together,” said Sinclair.
Beyond helping with medical issues, the facility helps its residents to overcome addictions, obtain education and training, find work and generally deal with life in a world that seems to have abandoned them.
Sinclair is no stranger to the military. He served 25 years in the Navy, originally enlisting in hopes of serving in Korea during the Korean War and ended up on a mine sweeper cleaning up errant Japanese mines that were still floating into shipping lanes off our coast.
Funding for the facility is a constant challenge and Orser said that the Legion has been vitally important to the survival of Veterans House Victoria.
“We get no money from the government to run this place and depend mostly on donations and the poppy fund. That’s why this time of year is so important. The poppy program is what lets us keep going.”
Veterans House Victoria has a close relationship with Legion Manor in Central Saanich, a facility that provides longer-term care for veterans. That program has been seeking to expand and, recently, was hit with a major setback.
But that’s another story.
Donations to Veterans House Victoria’s operations can be made at legionbcyukonfoundation.ca/veterans-house-victoria/.
