Upon entering law school, there was one thing that Deanna Deveney and her veteran colleague Hadler Charles realized, there was no flagpole at the entrance of the institution.  For a school that was educating so many active US military and veterans, they decided to act. This is how the MSLAW Veterans Association was founded in 2011 by president Deanna Deveney and Vice President Hadler Charles. Deanna was The MSLAW Veterans Association is an organization that advocates for the needs of veterans. The goal of the organization is to bring together both former and current military students for community involvement, academic support, and friendship purposes.

Deanna Deveney Raises Money To Erect a Local Flagpole

In an effort to raise awareness for the organization, Deanna Deveney, the former President of the association, worked with the local community to raise enough money to erect a large flagpole. Then, a dedication monument was placed in front of the school. She conducted multiple fundraisers at local restaurants, sold a wide variety of t-shirts, and put together baked goods sales until they had raised enough money to complete the mission. The flagpole was raised for the first time on May 4th, 2013. The flagpole stands and pays homage to all of the men and women who have served the country in the past and who will continue to serve the country in the future. Typically, a small ceremony takes place on Veterans Day.

Numerous Auctions Continue To Take Place Annually

Even though the initial goal of the organization has been completed, Deanna Deveney is proud to see that a wide variety of fundraising events continue to take place every year. For example, there is a 5K Walk and Run event that takes place every year to raise money to support Veterans of the United States. In addition, there is a community dinner and silent auction that takes place annually to raise awareness of the needs of soldiers. It is easy for people to forget about what our soldiers do to protect the freedom that we enjoy, but Deveney understands just how important this awareness is.

Many of the funds are donated to Homes for Our Troops, which seeks to address the severe homelessness problem. It is pervasive among people returning from overseas, and the MSLAW team always finds a way to raise crucial funds to support those who are returning from tours of duty overseas. It has become one of the cornerstones of the local law school.

Continuing to Raise Awareness 

Although the passion began in law school, Deanna Deveney continues to pursue additional ways to assist veterans. Through her career as the Communications and Government Affairs Director within the City of Everett, she lead the 20th Remembrance Celebration of 9/11 and multiple Memorial Day ceremonies recognizing those who have made the ultimate sacrifice.  Although the initial mission of a flagpole has been accomplished, there are still a lot of veterans who are in need of support, particularly when they return from overseas. That is why the Deanna Deveney and the organization continue to work hard to make sure the funding is there for those who need it most.