33rd Annual Christmas with the Vets

In the winter of 1988 two Vietnam Veterans, Jeff "Doc" Dentice and Mike Lango started a Christmas show for the vets residing at the Zablocki VA Medical Center in Milwaukee, WI. This show was supposed to be a one-time event but was such a success that it continued on each year since then. Since 1996 Doc, a former army medic, has kept the show going on his own with the help of family, friends and volunteers.  He hosts and coordinates every aspect of the event.  He has 2 or more parties going on at the same time on different floors in the hospital. There is no government funding that supports this event.  All donations are raised through a lot of hard work.  Each year in September or October a fundraising event is held  to raise money for the December show.  Doc also works with companies who hold donation drives to collect giveaways for the Christmas party.  December 2020 was to be the 33rd annual Christmas with the Vets show/party.  Then the pandemic hit.  Doc's annual fundraising event had to be cancelled.  More employees are working remote so donation drives are harder to coordinate.  Things will look different for this year's event as well. There will be no party this year.  Instead Doc will be handing out Christmas stockings and ditty bags filled with all sorts of items to every vet residing in the VA Medical Center on Christmas Eve.  It should be quite the event.

I have had the pleasure of working with Doc for the past five years to coordinate a donation drive where I am employed.  He is one of the most selfless people that I have ever met.  He has put his heart and soul into everything he does to support and help all veterans. This is one of many events that Doc participates in each year in support of our veterans.

Please consider making a donation to help support the 33rd annual Christmas with the Vets program.  You are not only helping Doc, but you are helping our local vets as well.
  
For further information on  the Christmas With the Vets program:  www.christmaswiththevets.com  

Every donation is greatly appreciated.  

Doc has asked that I use the donated funds to purchase items to go in the 300 ditty bags being filled for the vets.  The more we raise the fuller these bags will be!!

Thank you!