Prospects are improving for a Vietnam veteran who last month faced eviction as well as sale of his pickup because he couldn’t pay for repairs.
“Yesterday was like Christmas,” KansasWorks counselor Ed Van Vickle said on Wednesday.
Van Vickle, who also is a state veterans’ representative, has been helping Emporian Charles Schmitt, who lost his job when the dairy for which he worked 26 years closed about a year and a half ago.
Along with the job loss, Schmitt, 59, and his family lost the house that came as part of the job benefits.
Schmitt’s plight was featured in a Gazette article on Nov. 8. Then, he and Van Vickle were in the process of trying to secure disability benefits from Veterans Affairs and Social Security. Arthritis has prevented him from working at a number of jobs that have been available in this area.
Van Vickle said that Schmitt had completed a preliminary physical examination and has been accorded “presumptive Social Security disability” status.
Approximately $1,100 has been donated to help Schmitt.
“We received one over the weekend for $500, so we were able to, with donations we had, pay November and December rent,” Van Vickle said.
“He’s covered through December and someone has offered him a free van. They’re going to pay insurance and will tag it. ... Talk about having Thanksgiving!”
Schmitt’s pickup truck, which has a pending bill of almost $1,150, remains at the garage where the repairs were made. The business owner had deferred selling the truck until Schmitt’s disability status has been determined.
Van Vickle said that Schmitt’s landlord is aware that his financial situation is in limbo and has recently accepted partial payments and was working with Schmitt to avoid eviction. Now, the rent problem has been deferred temporarily.
“We’ve got to start looking to January,” Van Vickle said, “but hey, that gives us a whole month to work.”
Anyone who wants to help Schmitt may call Van Vickle at 481-9280, the American Legion, or either of Emporia’s Veterans of Foreign Wars posts.
slipandslide (anonymous) says...
im glad to hear he wont be homeless.
November 28, 2008 at 2:12 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )