OCKLAWAHA, Fla. – A 92-year-old Korean War veteran found himself displaced after a vehicle crashed into his Marion County home on Aug. 11, leaving the structure condemned.
Odis Fender was watching television in his Ocklawaha residence when the walls shook.
“It sounded like a bomb had hit my trailer,” Fender said, recalling the moment of impact.
The crash has left Fender facing significant challenges, with repair costs estimated at $20,000.
“I really need all the help I can get. I’m in between a rock and a hard place,” Fender said.
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Villagers for Veterans, a nonprofit organization based in The Villages, has launched a dedicated Korean War Veteran Fund to help Fender secure new housing. The Combat Veterans Motorcycle Association Chapter 20-4 has also joined the effort, assisting with moving Fender’s belongings into storage.
A fundraiser for Fender will be held on Sept. 17 from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Epic Old Mill Playhouse in The Villages. The event will feature live music, and organizers will be accepting cash donations to support Fender’s housing needs.
Fender, who enlisted in the U.S. Air Force in 1954, speaks to the strong bonds within the veteran community.
“They’re like your own brother. Sometimes your brother won’t help you out as much as a veteran,” he noted.
Marie Bogdonoff of Villagers for Veterans emphasized this spirit of mutual support.
“Veterans help veterans and so whenever there is a veteran that’s in need, the other veterans — no matter the branch, no matter how long they serve — they rally, they come together and they do what they can to make it right.”
Donations to get Odis Fender into a new home can be made at VillagersForVeterans.org.