About the WSVC
Meet Jesse Beckius
Meet Casey Owens
In 2015, after the suicides of two Marine Corps Combat Veterans Jesse Beckius and Casey Owens, a group of veterans from the Roaring Fork and Colorado River valleys banded together to assist fellow veterans. Conversations ensued about the need to increase coordination and resources in support of those with military experience. From the work of this committed group of individuals (all volunteers) throughout the Colorado, Roaring Fork and Eagle valleys, the Western Slope Veterans Coalition was born. WSVC is a nonprofit, 501(c)(3).
Today, the Jesse Beckius/Casey Owens Veterans Resource Center provides a hub for the information, action, programs and activities that support, honor and connect veterans in the Colorado, Roaring Fork and Eagle valleys. The Coalition is an organization supported by and open to all citizens, organizations and businesses that support veterans. The WSVC holds quarterly meetings and events, provides a forum for information sharing, best practices, and the coordination of resources for veterans.
Our Mission
The Western Slope Veterans Coalition provides a hub for the information, action, programs and activities that support, honor and connect Veterans in the Roaring Fork and Eagle valleys.
“A Veteran – whether active duty, discharged, retired or reserve – is someone who, at some point in time, wrote a blank check made payable to The United States of America, for an amount up to and including their life.”
— Unknown
Goals of the WSVC
- Coordinate citizen-led veteran efforts in the Roaring Fork and Eagle valleys
- Increase connections among people and organizations working to serve veterans
- Facilitate communication among existing nonprofit and public organizations to increase resources and reduce redundancy among service providers
- Provide speakers and expertise to address best practices on veteran services and support initiatives that address local gaps in services
- Develop community among area veterans through events and opportunities to engage with the Coalition and each other
- Support local veteran events and initiatives through volunteer recruitment, in-kind services, etc.
- Provide a communication channel to connect local veteran serving organizations, providers of services and advocates
- Support local Veteran Service Officers (VSO) in providing case management and VA benefit assistance to Veterans and their family members
- Administer the Western Slope Emergency Fund to provide funding to veterans in need
- Refer clients who utilize the Emergency Fund to area VSOs, community volunteer mentors and other area organizations that serve veterans
- Provide a comfortable and inviting space for local and visiting veterans to meet
- Raise funds for the emergency fund, outreach, case management and educational services
- Provide space for VSOs and nonprofit veteran-serving organizations to meet with clients or hold constituent meetings
- Provide a space for the community to gather, learn about the history of local veterans, their service and how veterans’ participation in the community has positively affected the quality of life for all residents
Serving the Western Slope of Colorado
Garfield County
- Glenwood Springs
- Carbondale
- New Castle
- Silt
- Rifle
- Parachute/Battlement Mesa
Pitkin County
- Aspen
- Snowmass Village
- Old Snowmass
- Woody Creek
- Basalt
- Redstone
Eagle County
- Vail
- Avon
- Beaver Creek
- Eagle
- Edwards
- Gypsum
- El Jebel
- Basalt