Not many people would turn down a $30,000 prize, but Ron Peters of Foster Township did.

Peters, who is the commander of Veterans of Foreign Wars Lt. John C Roche Post 212 of Bradford, has his reasons. One of them is that the Vietnam veteran has a deep desire to help veterans who need a helping hand.

After receiving the annual Pennsylvania Veterans Foundation’s Sandy Walker Memorial Award on June 16 in Gettysburg, he then gave the check to the Veteran’s Helping Hand.

Peters deflects recognition in receiving the honor. He gives all the credit to the local VFW Post and Frances Sherman VFW Auxiliary.

“They named this award after (Sandy Walker), and they give it away annually to the people who benefit the Pennsylvania Veterans Foundation,” said Peters.

Veteran’s Helping Hand, the brainchild of the late Vietnam veteran Sandy Walker, includes a community center in York that serves as an emergency shelter for veterans. Individuals who served the United States are able to obtain clothing, grab a shower and get some food at the facility, Peters said.

The center opened its doors in 2015, and Peters said the center is thriving.

“At the convention I turned around and gave the check right back to them, to the Walker family to use in the shelter,” Peters said.

The local VFW is a big supporter of the Pennsylvania Veterans Foundation, donating money each year from the Vet Jam held at the VFW Events Center in Bradford. Over the past two years, Peters said that the event has brought in more than $40,000.

And in 2017, the local VFW gave its support to the community by giving away more than $62,000 that went toward high school sports teams, the Bradford Family YMCA and the YWCA Bradford homeless shelter, as well as helping veterans with such things as paying a natural gas bill.

“I want the people of Bradford to know that their VFW Post stands out as a beacon light of hope of veterans and their commanders because of the hard work of a handful of people,” he said.

For more information about the VFW, see www.vfw.org.