Veterans Group Earns License to Raise Money in Muskegon Heights

Andrew Trzaska | January 25, 2011

The Muskegon Heights City Council approved a resolution Monday to issue a charitable gaming license for Eversharp Veterans, Inc., allowing the group to have  events like Texas Hold’Em tournaments, bingo or similar fundraising efforts  in the city.

Founded in 2005, Eversharp Veterans, Inc., a 501(c)3 charitable organization based out of Grand Rapids.  According to their Facebook page, the group’s purpose is to serve “all men and women veterans past and present in the Greater Grand Rapids communities and surrounding areas” and help them break out of homelessness.

The group works with ex-soldiers dealing with post-traumatic stress disorder, jail sentences and other roadblocks to getting them fully back into American society.

Executive Director and co-founder of EverSharp Veterans Robert L. Wilson attended Monday’s service meeting and full council meeting, and gave some insight to the board on the group and its efforts before the vote was taken.

“We reestablish the veteran in the veteran.”

Wilson stated that the proposal for the charitable gaming license would allow the group to raise more funds, and from those funds the group could expand the scope of its efforts.  Plans for a food pantry were mentioned, and Wilson said that the group had applied for federal grants as well.

No fundraising events are scheduled at this time, though Wilson said Eversharp Veterans hopes to plan events at local veterans posts.

Multiple board members expressed thanks for Wilson’s efforts with EverSharp in the service meeting. The council shortly thereafter unanimously approved the license during the full council meeting.