Our History

The Holly Area Veterans Resource Center was created in 2014 in response to the lack of services and support for Veterans in the greater Holly area. A committee was formed, and we developed a survey that demonstrated the need in our area. The original founders and co-directors were Joe Mishler & Ray Pfenning. They went on to create a board of trustees and the executive committee.

The Holly Area Schools Board of Education and the Village of Holly approved the creation of the center as a 401(c)(3). We spent the first 10 years in the Karl Richter Center on East St. At the generosity of the Holly Area Schools, we paid no rent or utilities. We have and continue to enjoy widespread community support; Holly is a veteran friendly community.

In 2019 we established a Hometown Heroes project thanks to Jim and Ina Golden. Holly residents going into the service have a yellow ribbon tied around a large oak tree in front of Holly Elementary School. When they get out of the service, we remove the ribbon. Both putting the ribbon on and taking the ribbon off are done with family and community members present at the tree.

We hold a free, monthly Vet-to-Vet Dinner for veterans and their families. This dinner is held at the Holly VFW Hall on the third Monday of the month. Most months we have a guest speaker.

We have, from the beginning, provided a space for Accredited Service Officers who handle claims to the VA. We started with limited assistance from the Oakland County Veterans Services office. Since 2020 we have had full time Service Officers from the Vietnam Veterans Of America. They successfully assist veterans, their survivors and caregivers with claims for benefits.  We estimate that the community effect is over 2 million dollars a year back into the greater Holly community. Oakland County estimates that each veteran dollar spent turns over 5.6 times. Which means our base amount is over ten million dollars. That is a great community impact.

We have held many programs to include: veteran computer classes, yoga, Vietnam Veteran pinnings, round tables with legislative leaders, resource events, resource fairs partnering with Oakland County Veterans Services, The Vietnam Traveling Wall in 2022, and more. We also provide a place for veterans and their loved ones to come and talk. We have a great working relationship with both Holly American Leagion Post 149 and Holly VFW Post 5587.

In October 2024, we moved into our own space.  This move was necessary due to the Karl Richter Center being town down to make way for a new middle school on the property.  Until our move out of the Karl Richter Center, we were open Tuesdays and Wednesdays.  We are now open Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday. Our VVA Service Officer works 5 days a week. We average, not counting events, 20-30 people coming into the center per week. This does not include board or committee members.

We are continually doing outreach and assisting veteran, their families and caregivers. It is our mission to do everything in our power to always help guide them to the resources they need, whether they live in Holly or travel from around the state. If we do not have the resource available, we can and will find an organization that does.