Northwest Montana Stand Down steps up for its veterans

Allen W. Erickson Sr. was not initially interested in leading the Northwest Montana Veterans Stand Down.

Twenty-five years later, Erickson is handing his responsibilities to others.

The Vietnam veteran was approached by Gus Fabbe to run the event. Fabbe, who died in 2012, was a U.S. Army veteran before going to work at the Seattle Veterans Administration Center. He later transferred to Spokane and rose to the position of Chief of Medical Administration.

“He wanted me to do it and he said I could do it,” Erickson said. “I was reluctant, though. But Gus said they had looked at everyone else and wanted me to do it.”

Erickson went to Spokane to learn how to run a Stand Down. The Stand Down events were the brainchild of two Vietnam veterans who organized the first one in 1988 in San Diego.

According to centralohiostanddown.org/history, Robert Van Keuren, the Executive Director of Vietnam Veterans of San Diego (VVSD), and Dr. Jon Nachison, the clinical director of VVSD, were both concerned about the increasing numbers of homeless veterans that were coming to them for services in the mid-1980s.

The goal was to create a community intervention with participation among service providers for vets and the general public.

Erickson, who has worked with his wife, Linda, to put on the event, said the 15 largest stand downs in the country have occurred in Libby.

He will hand the reins of the Stand Down to Cole Skorka, a realtor from Kalispell who served 11 years in military law enforcement, and Pamela Koller at the food pantry in Kalispell.

This year, for the first time, Montana Veterans Affairs joined Spokane to put on the annual event.

Stand Down events are free to attend and everything that is provided is free. They not only provide warm clothing and boots, but gear bags and backpacks. Vets can also get free flu shots, haircuts and other medical services.

“Each year we see many new faces and educate hundreds of veterans who do not realize they are entitled to services and benefits,” Cinnamon Davis-Hall said. “Spokane brought the big medical bus with a staff that sees patients. They gave 69 flu shots, caregiver support and benefits and enrollment were on site from the mobile outreach bus.”

Davis-Hall, the Ericksons’ daughter, is the Community Outreach Specialist for the Northwest Montana Veterans Food Pantry in Kalispell.

She said the Libby Stand Down served 418 veterans, 141 companions, 27 children. It also provided 510 meals, 60 food boxes, 103 haircuts and one ton each of dog and cat food. There were also 25 service providers with four guest speakers, a color Guard and 2022 Libby High School graduate Keirsi Leigh sang the national anthem.

Service providers included VA Caregivers Support, Operation Zero, Valor Equine Therapy, Humana, the Vet Center, Montana Job Service, Montana VA, AARP, Area Agency on Aging, the Montana National Guard Child and Youth Program and others. There were more than 80 volunteers

As Allen and Linda exit the Stand Down event, they aren’t walking away from veterans’ concerns.

“We plan to be more involved in Camp Ponderosa,” Allen said.

Camp Ponderosa is located on Montana 83, between Bigfork and Condon. It is a retreat and learning center where vets can get help addressing the challenges, fears and stigma that they face during and after they have served in our Armed Services. 

Northwest Montana has the largest population of veterans in the state.

Erickson said Montana and Alaska battle for yearly Stand Down attendance.

“Those two states have the largest veteran population per capita in the country,” Erickson said.

For more information, about the food pantry in Kalispell or Camp Ponderosa, go to https://veteransfoodpantry.org/ and https://veteranscampponderosa.org/.

To reach Davis-Hall, her email is cdhall03@gmail.com or call 406-250-2394.