Vet wins award for helping fellow vet

By WAYNE QUESENBERRY/Staff

Winning an award was the furthest thing from Mike Frye’s mind last month when he helped a homeless veteran find lodging. His commitment to the case did bring recognition in the form of the Governor’s Public Service Award.
“I don’t feel like I did anything major,” remarked Frye, Veterans Employment Representative for the Virginia Employment Commission office in Wytheville. “I was just doing my job as best as I could.”
According to local VEC office manager Roger Frye and Gov. Bob McDonnell, Frye did more than was required. He contacted other agencies to oversee the veteran’s affairs and left his personal contact information to provide additional assistance.
In nominating Frye for the award, Roger Frye commented, “It was a well-deserved award based on Mike’s actions. He went beyond his job to serve this veteran. He took it upon himself.”
Perhaps Mike Frye’s compassion as a fellow veteran – he spent 21 years in the U.S. Air Force – prompted him to go beyond requirements. Then again, it might have been his Wythe County attitude of helping anyone in need.
“I always do what I can to help people,” Frye stated. “So many people do what I do. My job is to get veterans employed.”
The case in point began soon after a tornado ripped through sections of Pulaski County in early April.
“He just popped in here one afternoon with a suitcase,” Frye recalled. “He said ‘I have no place to go.’ I don’t even know who referred him.”
According to Frye, the man in his 40s told him he had lost the family farm through foreclosure. He was supposed to stay with friends and then the tornado destroyed their home in Pulaski.
“Crossroads Shelter had just closed and there wasn’t anywhere I could put him,” Frye pointed out.
He began calling several agencies seeking help for the man. Through Total Action Against Poverty in Roanoke, Frye learned about two homeless shelters – a night one and a day one – sponsored by two separate ministerial associations.
“He was kind of shell-shocked,” Frye pointed out. “He kept saying ‘I’ve never been in this position before.’ He was shocked by it all.”
Frye transported the veteran to the night shelter in Roanoke and coordinated efforts to show the man his way around.
“It bought him some time to figure out what he wanted to do,” Frye said. “He was there about a month and even got an assembly-type factory job.”
During that time, the veteran was contacted by relatives in another state inviting him to live with them until he could find a job, according to Frye. The man accepted the offer and left.
While Frye has had no further contact with the veteran, he does have the governor’s award on his desk at work as a reminder and incentive. Frye is beginning to see more veterans looking for jobs.
“My primary target groups are veterans with disabilities, veterans with barriers to unemployment and economically disadvantaged veterans,” he pointed out, “but I assist all veterans that ask for my services.”
Frye received a certification and award at a recent luncheon at the Governor’s Mansion in Richmond. He was accompanied by his wife, Peggy.
“I didn’t know I had won when we went down,” Frye remarked. “I kind of wondered what was going on.”
Speaking at the awards luncheon, Gov. Bob McDonnell said, “We have outstanding state employees here in the commonwealth who work day in and day out to keep the functions of government running smoothly. These award winners are just a few of the inspiring public servants who went above and beyond to provide exceptional service to the taxpayers of Virginia.”
Wayne Quesenberry can be reached at 228-6611 or wquesenberry@wythenews.com.