QUITMAN, GA (WTXL) -- A South Georgia organization is hoping the community will brighten the holidays for veterans in need.
Quitman's Hopes and Dreams Riding Facility works with veterans year-round to help them adjust to life after coming home.
Air Force veteran Tracy Dowdy won't be with her family for the holidays. She said this time of year has never really been special for her.
"Haven't always been the best," she said. "I mean, they've just been another day."
Dowdy is one of four veterans spending the holidays at Hopes and Dreams, a residential and horse therapy center just for vets.
"They're basically like my family. I love the environment here, the horses," said Andy Meadows, a navy veteran who's also spending the holidays at the facility.
Founder Mike Randall said, "A lot of people don't understand their condition or why they do what they do, but it's all because of what they've been through."
Hopes and Dreams started its "Adopt-A-Vet" program five years ago.
"Sometimes, they don't have the transportation to go home, or the parents don't have the money to come down here, so we would like to see them have a good Christmas, after what they've done for us," Randall said.
Later this week, a tree donated by the community will be put in the facility, but there are no gifts to go under it. Veterans are hopeful that changes as it gets closer to Christmas.
"It's hard for us to sometimes to speak out that we're hurting, and it's hard to understand how we're hurting," said Dowdy. "It's a humbling feeling to be on the receiving end sometimes. It's a humbling feeling."
Each of the four vets has a wish list. Community members choose what they can provide and the vets open those presents around Christmas.
What are they hoping for?
"A lot of clothes, maybe electronics," said Meadows.
The organization is hopeful the community will rally behind the veterans as they've done in years past.
"They bend over backwards to help us," said Randall. "We're a small community. We can only do so much."
The organization says they're hoping to get gifts by Friday but can extend their deadline to early next week.
For more information on how to donate to the vets at the Hopes and Dreams Riding Facility, click here.
