DAVENPORT, Iowa — Five years since its opening, the Quad City Veterans Outreach Center has gone from helping 35 veterans during its first month to now having over 1,900 registered vets.
The center celebrates its 5th anniversary on Friday, Nov. 19.
"It is hard to believe the five years have gone by so quickly," founder and director Lola VanDeWalle said. "It's been an amazing growth and amazing opportunity to give back to our veterans."
In honor of its anniversary, the center on Sunday, Nov. 14, held its annual turkey and food giveaway for registered veterans. Hundreds of vets were able to come to the drive-thru giveaway and receive a turkey, drinks and a blanket.
"We expected a big turnout, but they're definitely miles-long right now," VanDeWalle said just minutes into the event. "We have freezers full and coolers full and everywhere we can possibly sit a turkey or bag of food. It's everywhere, but we expect to empty it all out."
The line of cars circled several times through the parking lot at the center and went down several blocks.
The Combat Veterans Motorcycle Association, Iowa Chapter 39-4, has been volunteering at the turkey giveaway since its founding.
"This is just what we enjoy doing and making sure that our veterans are taken care of," Public Relations Officer Amanda Wagg sad. "Unfortunately, our veterans sometimes aren't taken as good care of as they need to be. So our guys are service members as well, and we just need to be each other's brother and sister and just support each other just as we would on the battlefield."
Despite the cold and windy weather, there were plenty of warm smiles to go around.
"The first thing they say when they roll down the windows, 'Bless you guys, we love you. Thank you for helping us make this. Have a great holiday,'" VanDeWalle said. "Everybody is just pleased and happy."
The food giveaway comes as food prices are rising across the country.
"We all know that the rising costs are unbelievable in groceries and all the expenses across the board," VanDeWalle said. "I think everybody is in just that little need now, extra need. And we're just glad we're here to do it for them."
VanDeWalle founded the center in memory of her dad, who was a World War II veteran. She said the center is looking forward to growing more and to "move into '22 running."
"We have a mini mart daily where the vets can come in and get daily items that they need, hygiene, paper products," she said. "We do our haircuts every other Monday. We continue to grow in the necessities that our veterans need and reach out to them."
Chapter Commander Johnathan Lanxon said it's been amazing to watch the center grow.
"We've watched it grow from very small. There was nothing really on the walls, nothing in the cabinets. It's almost twice the size now," Lanxon said. "We try to do as much as we possibly can to help them to do more."
The Quad City Veterans Outreach Center will hold its Christmas drive-thru food giveaway 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Dec. 19 at the veterans center, located at 2720 West Locust in Davenport. In order to receive food, you must be registered with the center.
To become registered, you can stop by the center 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday-Thursday with a military ID, DD-214 or some other form of proof of service.