‘We’re here to help the veterans’
DAV chapter in Siloam Springs continues to serve
SILOAM SPRINGS — Veteran Ron Evans has a heart for those who served and has worked to ensure the local Disabled American Veterans chapter does just that.
Evans, who served for 24 years in the United States Navy, helped restart the local DAV chapter to help ensure that veterans have access to the benefits available to them.
As a member of the Navy from November 1968 until March 1992, Evans served as a sonar technician and achieved the rank of chief petty officer. Evans said he served on destroyers throughout his career.
“I just did my duty and didn’t do anything extraordinary,” Evans said.
After retiring from the Navy, Evans moved back to Siloam Springs and then worked for a time at Ozark Electronics in Gravette.
Evans spent a year there before moving on to Syroco as an electrician to help set up a department there. After spending several more years working for different companies like Marrs Electric in Springdale and Franklin Electric, he began working for the Veterans Administration in Fayetteville.
He retired from the VA in 2013 after working for 10 years there, he said. In 2002, Evans graduated from John Brown University with a degree in organizational management, he said.
Evans joined DAV Chapter 50 in Siloam Springs and was a member until the chapter folded due to what Evans referred to as a “power struggle,” according to an article in the Siloam Springs Herald-Leader on Jan. 28, 2018.
Like many other veterans from the now-defunct DAV Chapter 50, Evans started attending the Springdale chapter. As a member of the Springdale chapter, he became the go-to person in the western portion of Benton County, so he had experience helping veterans in need, Evans said.
In 2016, Evans had spoken to different members of the old Siloam Springs chapter and they all said they would like to see a new chapter of DAV in Siloam Springs, Evans said.
“I knew there might be some interest in it, so I asked around and asked the guys, and so I said, ‘If you guys are willing, I’ll try to get it started,’” Evans said. “So some of the other existing veterans here that were DAV members said that they would transfer into our chapter.”
The state chapter of DAV was excited at the prospect of starting a new chapter in Siloam Springs and agreed to Evans’ request. It took a couple of years after Evans started the process for the club to be formed, he said.
Part of the requirement to start a chapter involves getting 50 new members to join, but in the case of Siloam Springs, the national DAV organization waived half of the required number, so Evans only needed to get 25 members to start the club.
Evans took it upon himself to start the process, he said. In 2017, the state DAV and Evans set up a recruitment effort outside Siloam Springs.
He did not remember exactly when in 2017 the recruitment effort was held but said the state sent past state commander Richard Egan and its mobile unit to help with the process.
“He transferred a bunch of people in at the time so that we could have elections and officers,” Evans said.
In April of 2018, Evans received a letter stating that Siloam Springs had a new chapter of Disabled American Veterans, he said.
The chapter was named Siloam Springs Disabled American Veterans Chapter 64, Evans said. At first, Evans said he tried to get Siloam Springs’ original chapter number back, but the state denied his request. The next step was to have an organizational meeting, which was held a month later, Evans said.
“So we had an organizational meeting in May,” Evans said. “We had their state adjutant come up and help run the meeting at that time there and just to help direct me on what I am supposed to do.”
For Evans, being the commander was new for him, he said. Evans had served as an officer for the Springdale chapter but taking charge was different, he said.
Evans did all of the legal paperwork and, in late 2018, the chapter received its nonprofit status, which allowed the group to have fundraisers and apply for grants, Evans said.
The state provided funds for Evans to help set up the Siloam Springs chapter of DAV, he said.
Little by little, the Siloam Springs chapter began reaching out to help veterans in need, Evans said.
When the Siloam Springs chapter began, it had a little bit of money so the chapter only could help with $25 or maybe $50 to help here and there, Evans said.
The DAV chapter meets at 6 p.m. on the third Thursday of the month at the VFW hall.
Today, the Siloam Springs chapter can now help out a little bit better, Evans said.
Presently, the DAV chapter meets at 6 p.m. on the third Thursday of the month at the VFW hall, Evans said. The chapter started out there, but a lack of funds prevented it from remaining there, Evans said.
The DAV chapter found a temporary home at John Brown University until the coronavirus pandemic started and the campus closed to the public, Evans said.
The VFW voted to allow the club to return and meet at the VFW hall in exchange for help with other expenses, Evans said. The pandemic provided other challenges for the chapter.
“We were not allowed to have meetings from the state at that point for quite a few months,” Evans said.
When the state did allow the chapter to meet, it was at first limited to 10 people, then 50 and 100, and then the number was reduced back to 10, Evans said.
After several false starts, the DAV chapter started meeting again in June 2020, Evans said.
The future looks bright for DAV Chapter 64, Evans said. It is increasing membership and the current members are interested in doing different activities and fundraisers, he said.
A popular fundraiser has been selling hot dogs at Atwood’s. However, the state limited the chapter to only one fundraiser a year in 2019 and the pandemic put an end to future fundraisers a year later. Plans are in the works to move the hot dog fundraiser to Tractor Supply Co., Evans said.
The DAV chapter also holds its Forget Me Not fundraiser at Harps in Siloam Springs and Gentry, Evans said. The most recent fundraiser was on Nov. 17.
“We do it a couple, three times a year at least,” Evans said. “So it’s very helpful.”
Every fall, the DAV chapter hosts an annual Socks for Troops, Evans said. Socks for Troops is a fundraiser in which people can donate socks or purchase socks to donate to DAV, which would turn around and donate them to the VA home in Fayetteville, Evans said.
The event is held from Nov. 1 to Dec. 31, Evans said.
Anyone who wished to donate socks would bring them to Shoe Sensation, where DAV has a box set up, Evans said.
This year the VA home told Evans that it had a surplus of socks, so Evans plans to donate them to the VA hospital, which is also located in Fayetteville, he said.
Evans said he wants people to know that DAV is here to help veterans with claims and benefits, which is in the organization’s mission statement. As a certified service officer, Evans is able to help veterans to obtain the benefits they need, he said.
This will be Evans’ last year as commander of Siloam Springs’ DAV chapter. Evans said he wants to get some new blood in the leadership. Evans plans to step down around June of next year, he said.
Despite stepping down, Evans will remain a member and will remain a service officer for the chapter, he said.
“We’re here to help the veterans in our community,” Evans said.