Side of Ranch: Jay Heater

Finally, the perfect way to give back.

Pour down a beer, or two. That's my kind of volunteer work.

Local realtors Tony and Kelly Barrett probably didn't know their desire to help veterans would lead to a big party in Lakewood Ranch, but it did.

On Saturday, March 12, the Barretts unleash the second Heroes Party at the Ranch. It's a live music and beer tasting festival at Lane Plaza Too, corner of Lakewood Ranch Boulevard and State Road 64. Rock bands Maiden Cane, The Bayou Brothers and Archer Classic Rock will be featured. Domestic and imports will be on tap and plenty of food will be available.

The event, which runs from 4 to 10 p.m., is free but a $15 ticket gets you into the beer tasting portion of the event and all proceeds go to Heroes Welcome Home. 

In comparison to some of the major organizations that host fundraisers, this one is tiny. However, it's not so small if you happen to be Jamison Ellismore, a former Marines sergeant who served two tours in Iraq and was honorably discharged in 2008.

Ellismore is a furniture repairman who was struggling to get into a home when he found himself on the Heroes Welcome Home radar. The Barretts, who founded Heroes Welcome Home, presented him a check for $3,000 to help cover his closing costs.

"They paid the closing costs for us and that allowed us to buy a washer and dryer," Ellismore said. "It meant a lot to us."

Ellismore and his fiance, Lindsay Bocko, moved into their St. Petersburg home a year ago and they are doing well after receiving a little boost.

It's a perfect result for the Barretts.

"Veterans don't ask for help," Kelly Barrett said. "And when you find them, they want a hand up, not a hand out."

Tony Barrett is an Army veteran who was honorably discharged in 1994. He always had thought about ways he might help veterans who were struggling.

Along with Kelly, they decided to form a non-profit in 2013 and came up with Heroes Welcome Home. Then they searched for veterans such as Mike McGowan, a former Marine who was disabled and had no consistent work history to qualify him for housing, and Mark Corradino, who fell on hard times and had to sell his home.

They worked to get them housing, and succeeded. Since their not-for-profit was small, they put a limit of $3,000 of assistance per veteran.

Even at $3,000, raising enough to help multiple veterans was difficult. After trying various fundraising activities, they thought up the idea of a music and beer festival and hosted the first one in 2015.

"We learned not to do it in May," Kelly Barrett said. "It's too hot and rainy."

So the second Heroes Party at the Ranch will be held in March.

"The premise is the same, but it's bigger," Kelly Barrett said.

Gulf Coast Eagle Distributing and Wolf's Head Pizza and Wings are now behind the project and the Barretts hope Heroes Welcome Home can help more veterans as the event grows.

"We were never going to gain momentum with a small event," Tony Barrett said.

While Heroes Welcome Home has a four-person board (the Barretts along with Vincent Overmyer and Rob Riganati), it is looking for more members. Anyone interested could call Kelly Barrett at 323-0893. The not-for-profit's website is heroeswelcomehome.com.

They want others to experience the joy they feel when a veteran gets into a home.

"It's been incredibly rewarding," Kelly Barrett said.

On March 12, I will do my part to experience something incredibly rewarding.

Pass the lager.