“We declare Camp Jack officially opened and all of you veterans are officially home,” Matt Russell, USMC Vietnam combat veteran and president of the Jack Williams Veteran Resource Center said as he concluded the grand opening ceremony Thursday, June 24.
To start the program Russell said, “Several times a day I get asked, ‘What is Camp Jack?’ I’ve memorized a 60-second response that’s politically correct, uses a couple 50-cent words so I sound smart and is truthful – but it doesn’t begin to fully answer the question.”
He continued, “The simple reality is that Camp Jack is a group of dedicated and resourceful veterans and volunteers trying to do some good – trying to right a wrong. We aren’t well-funded and are almost ready to start thinking about getting organized and truth be known — most days we pretty much make it up as we go along.”
Russell described the building to the guests. “We love our home, which is a historic, 80-year-old building where not all the toilets work, only a few parts of the building have air conditioning and ceiling tiles are falling down in some rooms. Until recently, we had an indoor waterpark every time it rained. You need a compass and 4-wheel drive to find our parking lot and we’re still sharing our warehouse with a disagreeable raccoon we named Sarge.”
“The ‘grand and historic’ building was built in 1942 and military personnel were trained here and then sent to Europe in World War II and to the Korean War. Then it was part of the Harrison Public School District where thousands of kids laughed and bonded for life as a cafeteria. I’ve heard some had their first kiss in this room. I think I went to the wrong school,” Russell laughed. He also said there was plenty of used gum underneath chairs and tables.
“This building has fond memories for a lot of people in this community. It needs tender loving care and we appreciate all of our volunteers and the City Council for their involvement.”
Russell gave a lot of credit to Mayor Jerry Jackson for the city’s help in acquiring the former Arkansas National Guard Armory. He introduced the mayor as a “Marine Corps veteran, Mayor of Harrison — Jerry Jackson.”
Jackson replied, “I really didn’t do anything. I remember when some veterans came to me and said, ‘We need a big building and we need it to be free.’ We started looking around. We owe a lot of gratitude to the Harrison School Board for giving us a great deal which allowed us to make this building available to the veterans. And here we are. ‘This is it!’ You volunteers have done an amazing job. Thank you,” Jackson concluded.
So far Camp Jack volunteers have distributed $55,000 of food and gas cards for veterans in need. They keep a stocked pantry on site, provide for in-home care services as needed, build wheel-chair ramps, repair wheelchairs and are very aggressive in reaching veterans so they know they have services available which they earned.
Russell asked that everyone take a flier and a yard sign that reads: “We got your six.”
“Suicide among veterans is very high and if they see this phone number, maybe someone will call and we can get them help. This is a welcoming, safe place of healing for veterans and we want to make a positive difference,” Russell said.
Camp Jack is located at 411 South Pine Street. Visit CampJack.org for more information or call 870-568-5597.
