In a luminous moment amongst Longmont’s wintry embrace, the inaugural lighting of the veteran’s tiny home village sparked a beacon of hope for homeless veterans, as the heartfelt community support propelled the Veterans Community Project, or VCP, to soar past its Colorado Gives Day goal, raising over $30,000 to combat veteran homelessness.
In the waning moments before the ceremony, a mere $750 shy of their goal, the resonant harmony of carolers enveloped the village with joy and cheer. Amidst their melodious verses, lights shook on motoring planes diving overhead, mirroring the luminance above in a celestial waltz.
These aircraft, akin to Santa’s sleigh, ornamented in red and green, traversed the stars, gliding downward at a height rivaling nearly two dozen Christmas trees, painting the starlit canvas with fleeting brilliance.
Santa Claus flew in all the way from the North Pole to extend his support. With a hearty, “Ho ho ho,” Claus exclaimed, “Merry Christmas!”
Executive Director Jennifer Seybold led the evening’s celebration, expressing profound gratitude for the outpouring of community support and recognizing the immense impact of their collective effort.
“Tonight’s inaugural lighting of the village marks the first for VCP Longmont and celebrates what will become an annual tradition. It lights up the legacy of each life changed by this work and changed by your support,” Seybold remarked while acknowledging the dedication of the team and the unwavering support of volunteers.
The heart of Seybold’s address lay in shedding light on the grim reality of veteran homelessness, urging the community to recognize the gravity of the issue, praising the community’s dedication to addressing it and underscoring the impact of individual contributions.
“For many of us, it’s a hard fact to digest. So many veterans who willingly raised their hand to serve us, come home and so often pay for incredible challenges without the support that they need,” Seybold stated. “Because of you, there is one less homeless veteran because one has led to one more and one more, and hundreds of veterans in our community have been impacted for good.”
As the countdown commenced, the crowd gathered around the walkways of the village with excitement and a shared sense of purpose. The illumination of the Veterans Village stood as a collective symbol of dedication to eradicating veteran homelessness through compassion and unwavering support.
The journey leading to the inaugural lighting was anything but swift and involved meticulous planning, construction of the homes and the task of extending electricity to let there be light in the village.
Currently, four individuals have found shelter in four tiny homes within the village. Seybold and the VCP team aim to extend this haven further, hoping to welcome an additional two veterans into the community by year’s end.
“We’re going to be lighting the ones that have people living in them, and the two that are going to be occupied soon. It feels like a really big milestone; we’ve worked a long time to get to this point,” Seybold said.
As 26 tiny homes near completion, veterans are fostering bonds within this budding community, even as construction and sales of additional homes continue in the surrounding neighborhood.
“Our residents have already built a sense of camaraderie among themselves and with the volunteers. It feels like a normal neighborhood, akin to buying a house. They’re starting to feel like a community already,” Seybold added.
Thirty-year-old Kendrick Hargrove, discharged from eight years of Air Force service, found stability through VCP during a challenging transition period. Settling into his unit in September, Hargrove, who had faced homelessness after his Air Force tenure as a mechanic, was among the first to find a residence.
“It’s been exceptionally great because the tiny home, while not super big, is really comfortable. It’s like being in a military studio apartment or dorm. It’s nice and compact,” Hargrove said.
A passionate ballroom dancer, Hargrove now attends Naropa University pursuing a master’s degree in psychology, attributing his educational pursuit to the stability provided by VCP.
“We’re already thinking of ways to invite other veterans to participate even before they get here. We’ll have coffee and doughnuts and just hang out in the community center on Tuesdays and Thursdays. It’s important to build a community, especially when physically building houses,” Hargrove said. “I don’t usually put up Christmas lights myself, but seeing the volunteers do it and getting everything ready, it’s exciting. It feels like it’s a part of building a wider community.”
