VET CHECK WITH VWHRC'S SCOTT DULEBOHN 7/8/26

Transcript

SPEAKER_01 0:04

Thank you for your service.

SPEAKER_00 0:22

I don't think he's in the mood.

SPEAKER_01 0:23

It's all you get. All business is one of them.

SPEAKER_00 0:26

I don't think he's in the mood.

SPEAKER_01 0:28

I've already been yelled at.

SPEAKER_00 0:30

No, it was my weak.

SPEAKER_01 0:32

I was nice.

SPEAKER_00 0:34

I made him a Mistara.

SPEAKER_01 0:36

My foot got heavier. I started going faster.

SPEAKER_00 0:38

I was like, why are you late? Standing me up.

SPEAKER_01 0:41

Not a chance.

SPEAKER_00 0:42

Not a chance. Scott Delaman is here from the Veterans Welcome Home and Resource Center, the tiny home village, the Hutton House, the Veterans Cafe and Museum. The thrift store is officially closed. Yes. You moved your office back into the Hutton House.

SPEAKER_01 0:56

We did. It was a busy day yesterday. We got all of our cabinets, all the files, everything back over to the Hutton House all set up. So Tom's over there still doing appointments for any financial assistance for any VA claims. If you just need to talk to somebody, you can give us a call. The phone number is working again that got fixed uh late last night. So we were having that forwarded over to the thrift shop and then had to get that uh disconnected and turned back on to the Huddon House, and that became uh an issue, of course, um, instead of just being nice and simple. So the phone was down for most of the day yesterday. So if you did call it.

SPEAKER_00 1:31

That's all right. We had the tone of death most of the morning yesterday.

SPEAKER_01 1:34

I heard yes, I heard that. And I was sitting there, I was like, how long?

SPEAKER_00 1:39

Nick was totally inept, couldn't fix it himself.

SPEAKER_01 1:41

How long do I sit here and listen to this? Or do I have to turn the channel? And I was like, I don't know.

SPEAKER_00 1:46

Look at that. That's a death stare. I didn't think he was listening. He had a call. He had to call the engineer because he was like, duh, I don't know.

SPEAKER_01 1:57

Oh my.

SPEAKER_00 1:58

Yeah, look at him. Look at him. He can call me the fat retaining water retaining seacow. No. I can't say he couldn't fix the tone of death himself. Come on, now. No, no. Look at him. Look at him. He's so mad. I'm not mad. Why?

SPEAKER_01 2:11

If if if the fact that you think I'm mad is really stupid. Oh I'm paraphrasing what people say about you. Because they always say you heard his view. You look thinner in person. I'm like, what do they think? You are a fat cow on TV. Freaking jerks.

SPEAKER_00 2:26

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 2:27

Yeah. Freaking jerks.

SPEAKER_00 2:29

But then Quintern had a point. What? He said it would be worse if they say you're fatter in person. That's true. Like, you know what?

SPEAKER_01 2:39

I didn't think you were so big.

SPEAKER_00 2:45

I know you have a voice. Maybe that's what the tone of death was. Right. It was just Liz back and up at the end.

SPEAKER_01 2:57

It's fine. It only hurts for a minute. Just climb off again with your reel. Oh my. That is fantastic. Oh. That's kind of how that joke was delivered.

SPEAKER_00 3:12

Yeah. Whatever. Anyways, got Dylan. Let's talk about something good.

SPEAKER_01 3:17

Something good, man.

SPEAKER_00 3:19

Do you have any good news to share?

SPEAKER_01 3:20

We do.

SPEAKER_00 3:21

I'm just like always the bearer of bad news.

SPEAKER_01 3:23

Just keep bringing the bad news. I do. We've got a bunch of good news. So we've got uh eight over at our Hudton house. Everybody over there that can have a job. So that is six of the folks are all working.

SPEAKER_00 3:35

Oh my goodness, that's great.

SPEAKER_01 3:36

All back on their feet. Um, what's really cool uh is our area up there in Little River right off 57. So it's it's really growing. I'm looking at a house over there. Since we started here that traffic's crazy.

SPEAKER_00 3:48

I know. It's off of 57.

SPEAKER_01 3:51

Oh my.

SPEAKER_00 3:52

Not a good idea.

SPEAKER_01 3:54

That that road, uh, it's special, but the houses are beautiful over there. We'd love to have you.

SPEAKER_00 4:00

Where do you live up there? Off of 57 also?

SPEAKER_01 4:03

No, a little off 17, a little further up closer to North Carolina line.

SPEAKER_00 4:07

Oh wow.

SPEAKER_01 4:08

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 4:09

Okay.

SPEAKER_01 4:09

So I got I gotta trek there.

SPEAKER_00 4:11

Is that the original house you've had this whole time?

SPEAKER_01 4:13

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 4:14

I didn't realize you lived that far. Wow.

SPEAKER_01 4:16

Um, so that area right there, we've got the tractor supply, the food line, uh CVS, the tractor supply is hiring. Are they hiring again? Which is great. Um, they just opened the Popeye's, so I had to stop there yesterday and get my sandwich. Uh the Del Taco and the Freddy's is getting ready to open. Uh, and then the Goodwill works with us with jobs. Um, and then the Taco Bell just opened up there about a year ago. So all of our folks are able to I like getting do you ever see when you get the workers from Taco Bell fighting with the workers from Del Taco? It's hilarious. It's great. It should be good. Check the poly market up. I'll let you know soon because one of our residents, so he started working at Taco Bell about a week and a half ago. Um, and then he applied to Del Taco at the beginning of the week because he said uh they were gonna pay him more. So we could have a little tiff there of of working at the Taco Bell and then going back and forth to the Del Taco. So that's it. But a wage war that benefits the workers. It's good, it is good. Um, so that's really exciting. That all those folks um they've come in, uh, they jumped right on it, they went and got jobs. Um, so now we're we'll have a process here of some folks saving some money, getting back to work, and then we'll work with them to get them to their next stage in life to get them some new housing. Um, we've got a couple of our our sponsors that are actually working with us and hiring some of our folks, so they're working with us uh with J29. Um our our guy up there is doing absolutely fantastic. He's been working with them for two weeks now, um, doing the data entry stuff, and he absolutely loves it. He's doing great. Um, mowing the lawn, keeping everything clean. Um, so it's really cool to see. You're in a good like yeah, it's a good stride right now. Um, it kind of starts all over again, though, once we get these folks moved on to their their next spot, and then it kind of fills back up. We actually have a list right now of folks trying to get in to the Hutton House. So that's kind of the first time.

SPEAKER_00 6:14

You know, I was speaking with the um uh Kathy Jenkins, the CEO of New Directions, and I was wondering like how many people actually come from out of state? Because we have enough of our own citizens that need help from the community. Yeah, and sometimes they hear about like a great program going on, there's a lot of success, and then it may actually attract people that might take a look at the state.

SPEAKER_01 6:39

Two right now at the Hutton House that came from out of state. Um so he put in chat GPT. Does that bother you? It's yes, it does. Um so he put in Chat GPT, best veteran organization for homelessness, and we popped up. Wow. Um, so he was in Baltimore, and then he was in Virginia, uh, and then he put this in his Chat GPT, and he got a bus ticket and showed up down here in Ory County and gave us a call. Um The good thing about him is he is a hard worker, instantly went he went and applied for a job the very next day after being at the house. Um and he's I mean, I'm glad for him.

SPEAKER_00 7:17

Yes, but I'm just saying that's a good thing.

SPEAKER_01 7:19

We have our own issues here that have to be taken care of first.

SPEAKER_00 7:22

I mean you can't drag people in. No. Yeah. And it's not like for lack of trying to get the word out. I mean, you're all over the place. Yes. National, you know, intra um national local news, radio. I mean, you're doing all the things. So and people have to want the help.

SPEAKER_01 7:38

They that's number one. Like you even going through the interview, you can have people sit there and just talk this dream up for 10, 15 minutes with you of oh yeah, I want to be back on my feet, I want to do this, I want to do that. And then they get over the house and they hide in their room and don't wake up until noon. And you're like, oh, that's why you're like, Well, we just had a conversation yesterday about how you were productive and wanted to do all this, and now you're just sitting here doing, Well, it's not me, it's not my fun. Like, all right, like there's not a lot of help here because you don't want it. You just want somewhere where you can stay and not have any responsibilities, and that's not what we're about. That's not what's gonna happen here. So and then they get mad and yell at us because it's our fault.

SPEAKER_00 8:21

Um and they either, you know, put up or shut up. It is get out.

SPEAKER_01 8:25

It's come on, let's get get you back on your feet and moving down the road. This isn't you're gonna stay here for forever. Um, this is this is a program to get you going. Um, so that that's really good over at the Hutton House. Uh the tiny homes we have they're all full. Uh we moved three people in um after the two folks moved out. So uh, and then we had a gentleman call over the weekend. Um, man, I have to tell you about this lady. So she called um the HUD Vash, which is the veterans um voucher program. Um, they called me and said, Hey, is any chance you got anything open? Can you get her in?

SPEAKER_00 9:00

Um like right away? Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 9:02

I was like, I don't know, we're pretty full. Um have her come over and interview. She'd been sleeping in her car for three years. Oh wow, wow. Three years, 61.

SPEAKER_00 9:15

Wow.

SPEAKER_01 9:16

Her son passed away five years ago, and it kind of triggered the downhill spiral. Uh Army veteran. Um, I think she did 11 years. Oh wow. Um just a a sweet lady. Um and then I we get her in her interview or everything. I'm like, let's go look at a house. And she's like, What? And uh she we start looking around and I was like, can you s stay here? And she's like, This would be amazing. I was like, Well, here's your keys, and just instant crying of Yeah. I haven't had a bed in in three years.

SPEAKER_00 9:50

Wow.

SPEAKER_01 9:51

Um and we were able to do it right there that day. And then I texted the Hudvash lady and let her know, like, hey, she's out of her car, she's good.

SPEAKER_00 9:58

That's awesome.

SPEAKER_01 9:59

But then we get back to the office and she's like, Whoa, she's like, Is is there blankets and stuff like that? And I was like, Yeah, yeah, we got all that in the storage, like we got awesome groups that support us, pour all this stuff in here. She's like, Well, I I I think I'll just stay in my car tonight so you guys can get everything set up and and I don't I won't be a burden. And I was like, ma'am.

SPEAKER_00 10:21

Wow.

SPEAKER_01 10:22

You are not a burden. I'm gonna walk over with you right now, and you can pick anything you want out to take over to your house and stay there. And it's just that right, that mentality right there of like I don't want to be able to do that.

SPEAKER_00 10:34

And that's probably why she's been in that house in that car for three years.

SPEAKER_01 10:38

And it's like she has social security, she's got like five hundred and seventy-five dollars a month. Like, that's it. And there's nowhere to go, or and so thank you all for supporting us and donating. That's what we're able to do. Like, I'm able to take people right off the street right now and put them in a home. And it's it's rare, like a lot of folks. There's a lot of red tape, there's a lot of a lot of this and a lot of that to get through. Um but when you see those people come in and they're at rock bottom when they show up to us because most of the other places they've already gone through, something didn't work, they messed something up. Um, and this is kind of last shot, last chance, and we're able to do it right then on the spot if everything is good to go, and it's just awesome. And she's doing great over there. She's been there for it's almost been a week now, so um, doing good. She's trying to find little side jobs to work still. I'm like, okay, we'll try and find some stuff for you to do too. Um just incredible. Um, another gentleman called on Saturday. He's been in a camper. Um didn't have really have anywhere to put it. Um, so we've got him over at the the tiny homes right now with his camper? With his camper, okay. Cartel back. Um he didn't have anywhere to plug it in, so I said, you know what, it's gonna be really hot this weekend. Come over, park it, we'll get you plugged in, um, and then we'll figure out a plan. So uh yesterday they're working on so he had his VA ID card, but he couldn't find his DD214. So that was the the mission yesterday was let's get you all signed up for ID.me, let's get your DD214 applied for. Um, hopefully it's already in the system and you've got it, because without that, you can't go apply for a lot of these other resources that are here in our area from the VA. So um that was very good. So he's on on track to be able to have all of his documentation so we can get him some stuff and uh get him being productive again. So that's pretty cool. Yeah, it's uh it's been a really busy couple weeks. Um it's been overwhelming with a lot of folks.

SPEAKER_00 12:42

You have so much experience now from when I first met you.

SPEAKER_01 12:47

Yeah, it's like I have no idea what we're doing, folks, but uh we're just gonna try and help people and we'll figure it out as we go.

SPEAKER_00 12:54

I mean, you know, I I talk to people like like you and Michael Sugg Snugs from Meals on Wheels and like Kathy Jenkins from uh New Directions, and I I talked to you guys, and I'm like, you know, you started like you create create something out of like a few pieces. You know, like Kathy Jenkins inherited the old version of the shelter system in Ori County in the city of Myrtle Beach and created the new directions part. And like you you took on something from Turtle who created this recreated something down here from where he was in New York, something very successful, and you took it and you just take it to the next level. And Michael Snugs, you know, the meals on wheels was about to close its doors, and you took it on.

SPEAKER_01 13:50

I mean, he's doing a great job.

SPEAKER_00 13:52

Amazing. And I just I'm so impressed by you people because you take something and you're the when the baton is passed, you're able to create and build, and builders and creators. I I it's just amazing. I mean, it's really incredible uh what you've been able to do, and you know, of course, with the help of the community, yeah. But you had this vision, and then you were able to take those resources and actually build something, piece them together and build this whole entity of the restaurant, and you know, maybe okay, the thrift store didn't totally pan out the way you wanted to, but still it had its place.

SPEAKER_01 14:34

Yeah, it it did its thing. It that's it was never there to make money, it was there as a a hub to be able to collect the donations and you still have that, and we still have that, it's just moving over to the city. You don't have to pay rent, so you just made it better. We're saving more money to to compensate for things. So we'll still be doing that, but thank you for that. Um and there's a lot of good folks here in this area, and it it's pretty awesome when you you showed up and get out of God's way and and let him do his thing in you and and watch it go. Uh, and just treating people like human beings, it it's something I say, and it's really simple, but a lot of people can't do it. And and rooting for people to win, stop rooting for people to lose, and not we see that every night on TV, right?

SPEAKER_00 15:19

It kills me.

SPEAKER_01 15:20

Like, I want you to be successful. I tell people every day coming in, like, I want to see you win, I want to see you go. Like, I don't care. Um I do care about your beliefs, but at the same time, I still want to see you win. I don't want to see you struggling and and hurting that life is short, folks. We ain't here that long. Um we're really not, and and when you go through struggle with yourself, it kind of just overwhelmed everything else going on in your life, and you never think you're gonna get out of it. Um, and there's so much amazing going on all around you. Um, just get your butt up and and get back on it, and I promise you it will be good. Um, and it's it's a lot of awesome folks that have helped us, countless individuals that have made this thing what it is today. It's not me. I'm I'm just here.

SPEAKER_00 16:05

Yeah, but it's it's it's an energy that attracts, and that's the point that I'm trying to make. It's like, you know, you you you need that that magnet, and then everything builds from there. So it's been really fun to watch. It's been awesome. It's really and it was early on in this show that you know, we built the partnership and the support system for what we can do to help, but there are so many other entities and organizations and churches and you know, women's groups, and um just nonstop. Yeah, just everybody's business owners and people who listen and they jump in and it's a special area. There's not there's City Girls writing another check too, by the way.

SPEAKER_01 16:45

She's fantastic. She came over to the stand down, uh, helped out over there. Stand down was great. We had 49 folks that we were able to help out that day.

SPEAKER_00 16:54

Wow.

SPEAKER_01 16:55

Uh, we even invited some of the women from the women's shelter. So we had six of those ladies come over from the women's shelter that are down there by us. Um they were able to get all kinds of stuff, but just the connections that are made. J29 showed up and did all the food. Um, they made t-shirts for the folks, which was really cool. They made uh America 250 shirts to pass out to the veterans to wear for the 4th of July. Uh incredible group, incredible people. Uh, and we're and we're looking forward to it. We we're I think our goal and plan now is kind of toned back to what we do of the homelessness and the shelters in the home. Um we are looking with the cafe. Uh we took the cafe over to keep it going. So we're looking at for a veteran or veterans groups that want to keep the thing rocking and rolling and keep it going. Our our goal was never to keep the cafe for a long time and and have that as part of us.

SPEAKER_00 17:51

It was well, you saved it.

SPEAKER_01 17:53

Yeah, it's it's rocking and rolling. So we would love to find a veteran that is a chef or wants a restaurant, um, and we'll work something out with them where it might even just be given to them as long as it's the the right group and we see that they're gonna be able to keep that thing going. That's what it's there for. It's it's a special place for the veterans here in this area to go. Uh, and it deserves that. And it deserves a great group or a great veteran that that keeps it going. So uh if you know anybody out there, they can give us a shout and we'll we'll meet with them and and see what's going on. But um What's the office number? Uh 843-427-4568.

SPEAKER_00 18:30

All right. Well, then we can openly talk about it. Yeah. That um to get find a group to take uh auspices of uh Yeah, we'll say we've all we've got uh a year left on the lease.

SPEAKER_01 18:41

So um it's already already been two years over there at the cafe. I can't believe it. It's wild, right?

SPEAKER_00 18:47

It's insane. It's wild. That is crazy, yeah. Yeah. Well, it's because you're doing 20 million other things. That's why. So yeah.

SPEAKER_01 18:58

That's that's the goal. We're gonna get back to the housing, helping people get back on their feet, um, and and just enjoying life. That's what these veterans signed up to do, that's what they deserve to have for the rest of their life. And thank you to everybody in this area because it it's a one of a kind in Ori County with how veterans are treated here. It really is. And you go to other places and there is there is none of this. You might get a tenth of of what happens here in Ori County. So it's a very special spot.

SPEAKER_00 19:26

Uh every veteran says that about here, so it must be true. It really is. It's awesome. All right. Well, thank you so much, Scott Dilabon. If you want more information or need help, uh go to VWHRC.org. Thank you.

SPEAKER_01 19:39

Thank you.