Area nonprofit serves veterans through volunteering at GUMI Camp

Branson and surrounding communities in southwest Missouri are blessed to have some wonderful nonprofits working hard to serve neighbors who struggle with a variety of needs. It’s particularly encouraging when nonprofits with a similar mission work together, or when one group dedicates a day to serving another group. 

GUMI Camp USA, located in Cedar Creek, Missouri, is committed to providing veterans with PTSD a safe place to heal, by providing meaningful work, a place to stay, counseling and assistance with practicalities such as securing needed VA paperwork. The goal is to help veterans once again function in civilian life as citizens who proudly represent God, their families and their country, not forgetting the past but learning to once again hope and move forward in Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness. 

Recently, GUMI Camp was privileged to host volunteers from another area nonprofit organization. On Monday, July 6, young volunteers from Future Men, a boarding school and discipleship program in Kirbyville for troubled boys ages 14-19, visited GUMI where they worked hard on landscaping, animal care and building projects. The visit not only reinforced practical skills, but also gave the young men an opportunity to see real Christian community in action. 

GUMI Camp veterans also did some giving themselves last month, transporting a gift of chickens to Eden Village #2, a tiny home community near Springfield that provides affordable housing for the formerly homeless. Dedicated to making sure “no one sleeps outside,” Eden Village goals overlap with those of GUMI as the camp helps veterans, some formerly homeless, transition into more stable living circumstances. The chickens were raised at GUMI Camp, where veteran residents learn the rewarding skills of caring for animals as well as having fresh eggs on hand for resident use and for sale. 

The Future Men are currently planning a return visit to GUMI in August to help pour the concrete for the camp’s second well house. This is an exciting time for the Camp, as two cabins in the back of the property will soon be functional due to a generous donation from Branson entrepreneur Paul Bluto enabling the drilling of the second well. Donations/sponsorships are needed for three additional cabins; to find out how you can help, please call founder/project manager Tim Hadler at 417-559-3892. 

If you know a veteran who struggles with unresolved PTSD; a young person who really needs a Christian role model and structured environment; or someone in the Springfield area who wants to move forward but needs affordable housing, one of these nonprofits might be just the right fit to help. Visit the websites and Facebook pages of GUMI Camp USA (https://gumicampusa.com), Eden Village (https://edenvillagespringfield.org), or Future Men (https://helpmyboy.com) to learn more.