The women of SedonaKind served up Brunch with a Vet during the group’s fourth collaboration with the Veterans History Project at the Sedona Public Library on Friday, May 12.

“They’re happy that they’re remembered, honored, and that they’re recognized,” SedonaKind member Jawn McKinley said. “They’re grateful to us but it should be the other way around. Because making an egg casserole is nothing like going overseas, leaving your family and putting your life on the line. This is what we can do and just say thank you.”

Accompanying the meal was a showing of the documentary short “Wings of Silver: The Vi Cowden Story.”

The film follows the journey of 93- year-old Vi Cowden from her early days learning to fly biplanes in the Black Hills of South Dakota through her experience as a pilot for the U.S. Army Air Corps during World War II. Cowden was one of the pioneering women who flew military aircraft to the USAAC from the factories where they were built.

The event also saw Joyce Ziebarth present two Quilts of Valor to area veterans Kevin Gertz and Brandon McKenny of the Arizona Department of Economic Security. 

Quilts of Valor are one-of-a-kind quilts that are awarded to veterans who have served in harm’s way and have been touched by war.

Ziebarth was inspired to join the program after a personal tragedy in 2011 and said that crafting these quilts saved her from a sense of loss.

“I just finished and will award today my 60th quilt, and I’ve awarded probably over 75,” Ziebarth said.

McKenny joined the navy in 2006 and later enlisted in the U.S. Marine Corps. He was deployed on two tours to both Iraq and Afghanistan. 

“I’m a retiree of the Air Force. I enlisted in 2000 and retired in 2020,” Gertz said. “During my time in the Air Force I was … petroleum oils and lubricants. So fuels for 16 years and then for four years I was selected for a special duty assignment in San Antonio and so from 2014 to 2018 I was an NCO [non-commissioned officer] academy instructor.”

The pair said that events such as the breakfast are critical in allowing them to network with veterans in order to get the word out about what employment services are available to them. 

Gertz said his biggest challenge in educating veterans is covering Yavapai County as it is comparable in size to the entire state of Massachusetts. Commuting in the area can also be a problem for the veterans they serve, especially if they already have limited means.

“I had a homeless vet come into our Cottonwood location,” Gertz said. “He had been homeless for years and he said, ‘I need a job, shelter and I need some cash assistance.’ Our workforce specialist was able to secure him a position working with a local couple building their home

with his background in construction. However, just to get work, he was walking two miles to the work site and then two miles at the end of the day, and he’s living in Camp Verde and he’s walking to Cottonwood on the weekends to get necessities and we said, ‘What if we could get him a bike?’”

Gertz remembered from his Air Force experience that abandoned bicycles are common on bases, and reached out to Luke Air Force Base’s dorm management team in Maricopa County to redistribute abandoned bicycles. For $50 in refurbishment costs, Gertz was recently able to provide seven bikes to local veterans in need.

“It feels amazing to be able to give back to people and know that you’re giving somebody an opportunity and we’re actually scheduled to go back in June to get some more [bicycles],” Gertz said.

Libraries are also playing an important role for veterans and Arizona DES is able to assist anyone with resumes and employment research, McKinney said.

“One of the big things we’re working on in the Flagstaff office is to push out libraries like Tuba City or Page,” McKinney said. “All these really rural areas in Arizona have libraries. So instead of having vets come to Flagstaff, they can go to their local library and the librarian can assist them with a virtual visit with employment services. We’re teaching the librarians how to do this. If they get overwhelmed, they have our direct numbers and we can talk with them over the phone.”

The next regular meeting of the Veterans History Project “Coffee With a Veteran” program will take place on Friday, June 9, at 10 a.m. at the Sedona Public Library Si Birch Community Room.