Farmington Memorial Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 10361 raise funds to support the Tunxis Community College Veterans’ Oasis Center

Written by Alan Nickerson

On September 12, 2013, the Farmington Memorial Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 10361 held a fundraiser to support the Tunxis Community College Veterans’ Oasis Center and raised $2,500 due to the generosity of the community. The Farmington VFW was looking for a local organization that supported veterans and the Tunxis OASIS was the perfect organization. VFW members contacted the Tunxis Veterans’ Club advisor, Karen DeBari, a Farmington resident, and David Welsh, the college’s VA certifying official and a partnership was instantly formed.

William Baker, Farmington VFW Post Commander, stated, “Returning veterans face many difficulties when re-entering civilian life and those attending college acknowledge having problems acclimating to university life. People like to spend time with people who understand what they’ve been through or who have shared similar experiences. This is especially important for veterans because of the extreme nature of what they have experienced and the OASIS center is a great way to assist veterans.”

The funds will be used to support the operation of the Tunxis OASIS center, and provide supplemental counseling, emergency funds, and social activities for the student veterans. All funding for the OASIS comes from donations.

Baker stated, “After my first meeting with Karen and Dave, I was blown away by the dedication and passion that these two people had in supporting the veterans at the college. Their unwavering commitment to providing veterans with the resources to succeed not only at school but with other challenges they faced in acclimating to civilian live after returning from war was truly moving. We wanted to help the Tunxis OASIS because the concept and idea of an OASIS was something our members related to.”

Located in Founders Hall on the Tunxis Community College Campus at the junction of Routes 6 and 177 in Farmington, the OASIS, short for Operation Academic Support for Incoming Servicemembers. To make an individual contribution to the Tunxis OASIS, call 860.255.3604.