12/08/2025
How VSF Got Started – Refined Narrative
VSF began with a phone call that changed everything. One night, I was told that my son was struggling with suicidal thoughts. I immediately called him to understand what was happening. He opened up about his challenges, his pain, and also his hope: he wanted to create an off-grid place where people could come for stability and a fresh start. He envisioned a stepping-stone program that could help others who felt lost, just as he did.
I believed deeply in his vision. I told him to find land, and if I felt it was right, I would buy it and help him build his idea from the ground up. But I also made something clear: if we were going to do this, it needed to be educational. Veterans didn’t just need a place to stay—they needed skills, direction, and a path back into a productive life.
We eventually found land in northern Maine and established the VSF name and website. The plan was for VSF to lease 10 acres and create a pre-apprenticeship trade program. I planned to build workshops, infrastructure, and revenue-generating foundations to support the organization. The mission was simple: qualified veterans would come for 3–6 months, learn a trade, and leave with the skills and goals needed to move forward—either through on-site training or partnerships with local businesses.
Unfortunately, over time, the original mission became misunderstood. People began assuming VSF was meant to be a homeless shelter, but that was never the intent. The goal was always education, structure, and skill-building for veterans transitioning out of military service—not just temporary housing.
As time went on, my son’s plans shifted in a different direction. But I still believed in the dream, so I tried to carry it forward the best I could. I began building a workshop where I could teach skills I knew well. However, many people didn’t understand why cabins weren’t popping up immediately. Basic infrastructure—water, sewer, power, roads—had to come first, and I built all of that myself.
The buildings I’m putting up now are part of the Triple D Ranch—my own lifelong dream of creating a peaceful, welcoming environment. They are separate from the land designated for VSF.
This journey taught me difficult but important lessons. Doing something like this alone is hard. Many people offered opinions based on their own ideas, not the original mission, and many never took the time to read what we were actually trying to accomplish. Northern Maine is beautiful, but the lack of resources and local support made the mission even more challenging.
When I first learned what my son was going through, I made the decision to sell everything I had because his life mattered more than anything else. I would do it again. And although the original plan shifted, the heart of the mission remains.
Today, I’m exploring ways to bring this vision to areas with better resources, while continuing to build my dream on the northern Maine property. If everything falls into place, VSF may still have a place there in the future. I’m still working on developing income streams from the property—my part of the original plan—and once that’s secure, we can move forward again.❤️
