Valley Veterans took to the Clovis Veterans Memorial stage Friday to raise money for Fresno’s Veteran’s Home. “I feel that we need to honor our veterans and give them something back. Something,” said Dr. Ken Ritter.
Dr. Ken Ritter is a chiropractor by day and the lead singer of “Brothers in Harmony” by night.
So devoted to music, Ritter used song as a source of calm through the rough battlefields of Vietnam. Today, he’s applying his passion to the effort to “Save Fresno’s Vet Home.”
“Tonight was just for the veterans and we wanted to do it to bring awareness of the foundation, the home that we're trying to get started,” he said.
The 27-acre multi-million dollar Veterans Home broke ground a couple years ago. It was on track to let 300 veterans in. But the state’s growing 16 billion dollar budget deficit recently halted the plan.
Charlie Waters is the director of the Central Valley Veterans Home Support Foundation and vows to fight the legislature.
“We are going to open this home, whether the governor likes it or not,” Waters said.
Governor Brown’s latest budget doesn’t reinstate the 30 million dollars needed to staff the facility.
The home won’t open until the money’s in the pot and these fundraisers are just a drop in the bucket.
“Money like this will go toward replacing beds, blankets, things the VA can't provide,” Waters said.
As the war to get back the money rages on, the “Brothers of “Harmony” will continue to stand tall for valley vets.
