Veterans For Peace is co-sponsoring a GI Coffeehouse Tour on the west coast, beginning in San Diego on Thursday, Feb. 13 and ending in Seattle, Washington on Saturday, March 1.
The tour will feature the work of Under The Hood GI Cafe in Killeen, Texas (Fort Hood), Coffee Strong in Lakewood, Washington (Joint Base Lewis-McChord), and The Clearing Barrel GI Bar and Coffeehouse in Kaiserslautern, Germany, center for U.S. military installations in Europe with the Ramstein Airbase and Landstuhl Medical Center.
The purpose of the tour is to remind people about the importance of ongoing GI outreach efforts and to raise much needed funds for the three GI cafes/outreach centers.
The tour will feature speakers from all three GI Coffehouses. Coffee Strong will be represented by its co-coordinator, Alex Bacon, a Coast Guard veteran, and other volunteers. Under The Hood will be represented by Iraq veteran Malachi Muncy, its manager, by Ryan Holleran, recently discharged from the Army at Ft. Hood, and by Lori Hurlebaus, former manager and president of the Board of Directors of Under The Hood. The Clearing Barrel will be represented by German peace activist Meike Capps-Schubert, flying in to California all the way from Kaiserslautern, Germany.
Many VFP chapters are hosting the tour and organizing local events. VFP Vice President Gerry Condon, who serves on the Board of Directors of Under The Hood, will also be traveling with the tour. National VFP has contributed $500 to help cover upfront tour expenses. VFP chapters and members are also encouraged to help out if they can.
For more information about the tour, the three GI Coffeehouses, and how you can help, go to the GI Coffeehouse Tour website.