The Ohio chapter of the Dominion Energy Veterans Resource Group (DEVRG) recently donated books to a local second-grade class at Mary McLeod Bethune school in Cleveland. Due to the pandemic, the members could not participate in their usual hands-on activities and were challenged to create new, socially distant traditions. David Klepcyk, the co-chair of Ohio’s Veterans Resource Group, said he first had the idea that the group would visit the class and read books about veterans and the armed forces, however, the elementary school did not return for in-person classes. The group instead created a lesson plan on different branches of our armed forces and donated the book “Veterans: Heroes in Our Neighborhood” for each student in the class. The book, authored by Valerie Pfundstein, explores how the same men and women who bravely served our great country now live and humbly serve in our communities. The group also helped sponsor the Plain Township Veterans Day event, Salute to Veterans. 

The Dominion Energy Veterans Resource Group is one of five Ohio employee resource groups. The group’s mission is to build on the company’s efforts to attract and develop those who have served in the armed forces and provide support to the military, veterans and their families. The group was established in November 2018 and has grown to 209 members. 

Throughout 2020, the Ohio Veterans Resource Group has supported many initiatives through donations and sponsorships. In July, the group donated to Honor-120, a COVID-19 campaign to increase the support for children whose parents have severed for 120 days overseas. In October, the group purchased and sent items to the 16th Engineering Brigade, the Ohio National Guard unit currently stationed in Kuwait.