This man from Texas is making canes for veterans and he’s doing it with old Christmas trees.
The US Army veteran Jamie Willis began the Canes for Veterans Central Texas in 2016 when he became aware that he wasn’t the sole veteran in need of a cane that’s tough, safe, and not ugly.
After he spent serving the Army for eight years, Willis was left 100 percent disabled and unable to work.
He said that he’s doing this so that he doesn’t sit at home all day. This is all from kindness, he added and emphasized he’s doing it all from his own pocket and with donations from good people.
Willis Had to Learn How to Make His Own Cane
When Willis got a cane by the Veterans Affairs, he didn’t like it: it collapsed all the time, wasn’t safe, and it looked poorly. This is when he contacted Florida’s Free Canes for Veterans that was giving out 500 canes.
But, when they told him they had no canes left, the man behind the organization, Oscar Morris, offered Willis to teach him how to make his own canes. Willis remembers the first cane he made: this is also when he asked Morris if he could branch it off and begin a Cane for Veterans in Central Texas.
Morris said he would love this. From that moment on, the 50-year-old has made and delivered more than 200 canes to veterans from all over the globe.
The Brave Man Behind Free Canes for Veterans
Morris is a US Army veteran behind the original idea and explained that Willis is the fifth veteran who started their own branch. Morris also added that it’s a blessing to spread the idea and get more veterans to do it.
Willis has asked for tree donations and the latest support has overwhelmed him. He got more donations than he thought he would ever get. Home Depot donated a lot of trees, around 400, and the rest of the community around 100.
Every tree equals around one cane. Willis needs a whole day to make it, package it, and send it to a veteran.
Although he sometimes asks the veterans to pay for the shipping, Willis is covering all of the other costs from his own money and from donations.
In case the veteran can’t afford to pay the shipping, Willis does it anyway!
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