"Bears in the Air" drive raises $6,000 for local vets

The Saint Joseph County Airport Authority presented a check to the Robert L. Miller Senior Veteran's Center in South Bend on Friday.

The money was collected during the South Bend airport's "Bears in the Air" toy drive.

A total of $6,000 was collected from flyers at the airport which will go to help local vets in need of job training and housing.

“This is kind of like a parachute. It provides a real soft landing for the homeless veteran. But it’s not a golden parachute, and you got to be able to pack that parachute as you get ready to leave. And by packing that parachute, we are talking about getting a part time job, full time job, going to school, volunteering,” said Director of Robert Miller Veteran's Center Kent Laudeman.

The executive director at the airport says around $22,000 has been raised over the past four years to help veterans at that center.

They're thanking the community tonight for making it happen.