CAMPBELL COUNTY, Va. – Virginia Governor Glenn Youngkin and First Lady Suzanne Youngkin paid a special visit to Altavista Monday to present the inaugural Spirit of Virginia Award to the National Center for Healthy Veterans.
“It’s an award for organizations that are embodying what is the Spirit of Virginia, to make Virginia so much better,” said Gov. Youngkin.
The center seeks to return healthy veterans to society by providing life skill programs, setting service members up for future success.
“It’s humbling. It’s incredible. We’re grateful for that, and we’re just trying to do good work,” said Bob Dees, CEO of the National Center for Healthy Veterans.
That work includes 500 volunteers building 100 tiny homes for veterans, across 300 acres at Valor Farm.
Community centers will serve as gathering and dining spaces.
They also plan to offer all types of therapy to those who are suffering.
“We absolutely love what’s happening here, that you combine this notion of making people more healthy with hard work, with community, with a sense of place,” said the first lady.
Gov. Youngkin says this is just the beginning of his administration supporting veterans in Virginia.
“We want our veterans to start businesses here, we want them to have their second careers here, we want them to have their lives here to make our communities better,” said Gov. Youngkin.
He says they plan to give out six Spirit of Virginia awards each year.