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For Bill Huckaby, it's personal.
His daughter is in the Air Force in Baghdad, Iraq. He knows what it feels like to
go to sleep at night wondering whether your child is safe.
For Laura Collins, it's about making a difference, touching peoples' lives.
Together, the co-owners of Collins & Associates of Temperance are offering to
do free tax returns for any active military personnel from Monroe County.
The offer includes spouses, as well as members of the National Guard and Reserves.
"There are a lot of people who are well aware of what's going on in Iraq, but they
aren't always able to do their part to reach out and help," Mr. Huckleby said.
"We're in a position to do something, and we're going to."
They've set aside the week of Feb. 25-29 --in the middle of the tax season -- to do
free returns for military personnel.
And that's not all.
They've also committed to give $10 for every tax return they do year-round to two
charities that benefit veterans.
"It's something we feel strongly about - it's our way of saying thank you," Mr.
Huckaby said.
Ms. Collins added: "If we can make a difference in even one person's life, touch
them in a way that helps, that's our goal."
They don't have any idea how many military personnel from the area will take
them up on the offer of free tax returns. They're including all of Monroe County
and the Toledo area in the territory they want to serve.
They plan to expand their office from four to six tax preparers during the season,
and they estimate they'll be able to do 400 tax returns during their "Military
Appreciation Week."
But if more than 400 active military personnel show up, they'll keep working until
all their tax returns all completed, Mr. Huckaby said.
If other tax accountants would like to volunteer to help during the week, all hands
are welcome.
"We think we can make an impact," Mr. Huckay said. "Because we're a small
business, we can make the decision to do something like this."
They plan to pass out fliers at veteran and military organizations in Monroe
County and Toledo.
Amy Newman-Mentel, a case worker with the Toledo branch of the American Red
Cross who works with military families, said she already is spreading the word.
"I had a breakfast with a military group just last week and I let them know," she said.
Ms. Newman-Mentel told Ms. Collins that she couldn't find anyone last year to
help with tax returns.
"She looked last year for an accounting firm that would do tax returns at a discounted
price for veterans, but couldn't find any. She was blown away when we said we would
do them for nothing," Ms. Collins said.
She said she's not worried about the impact of taking a week off in the middle of the
busiest season.
"I think that if we explain to our current customers, they will understand," Ms. Collins
said.
To reach people who can't drive to Temperance, the firm is considering sending tax
preparers to a Monroe veterans center for a day or an afternoon during the week.
One of the charities that will benefit from the $10-per-tax-return money will be Vets
Inc. of Monroe.
"They help vets cut through the red tape to get the benefits they deserve. They also
have a shelter to help vets who don't have anyplace else to go," Mr. Huckaby said.
He noted that Vets Inc., managed by Dan Turner, used to be open three days a week.
"He's had to close on Fridays because his donations are down. With the money that
we've committed to him, he's going to be able to stay open on Fridays."
They expect to donate about $8,000 over the year.
The other charity, not yet selected, likely will focus on helping military spouses.
"We're concerned with the spouses who are left behind when their breadwinner goes
to war. We want to do something to help them, too," Mr. Huckaby said.
Both Ms. Collins and Mr. Huckaby stressed they want to help military personnel and
veterans as a way to thank them, as well as help them re-adjust to life.
"More needs to be done to take care of the men and women who have served in Iraq,"
Mr. Huckaby said, noting that 30 percent of Iraq veterans suffer from post traumatic
stress syndrome, and 1,500 are homeless nationally.
Mr. Huckaby's father served in World War II, and his daughter enlisted in the Air
Force and spent eight years in Japan. She's now in an intelligence unit stationed in
Baghdad.
"This is personal for me, as a parent with a daughter in Iraq," he said. "A knock on
the door means an instant panic attack."
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