Bay Area veteran helps fellow vets get what they need while highlighting their stories
The Brief
David Vargas, along with the local Chamber of Commerce president, created the Pinellas County Veterans Association in 2024.
He also published a book titled "The Veterans Voices: Stories of Hometown Heroes."
The first-ever Palm Harbor Hero Fest is set for this Saturday, May 17.
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. - In a county rich with military history, Air Force veteran David Vargas noticed something missing: a clear, efficient way for veterans to get the help they need.
The backstory
"I was noticing that there was a gap, there was a hole of efficient transfer of information for veterans," Vargas said.
That gap led Vargas, along with the local Chamber of Commerce president, to create the Pinellas County Veterans Association in 2024.
Now, with over 40 partner organizations and agencies, the group is making real progress in cutting red tape.
"We just route that veteran, whatever his issue is, to that associated organization that can help them out a lot faster, a lot better," said Vargas, who serves as the association's president.
Vargas didn't stop there. He wanted to highlight the stories behind the uniforms, leading to the creation of a powerful new book.
"This book that we created was a compilation of local stories of your veterans, of not what they did so much in the military, but more so who they are, where they're from, why did they choose the military?" said Vargas. "Why did they choose their branch?"
"The Veterans Voices: Stories of Hometown Heroes" features 40 veterans from across Pinellas County; some still giving back, others with stories dating all the way back to World War II.
Among the stories: 104-year-old WWII veteran Murray Zolker, a survivor of Auschwitz, and countless others whose quiet service continues off the battlefield.
"The honor, the respect that these gentlemen paved the path for us to never forget that we stand on the shoulders of giants," said Vargas. "The ones that came before us paid a hefty price."
The book is available in local libraries and includes a QR code linking to additional resources for veterans and their families.
"If someday somebody wants to listen to their peepa 20 years from now, they can go back and look and listen to their actual live interview that they've had and so the libraries around here love it," Vargas said.
What's next
Palm Harbor Hero Fest is set for this Saturday, honoring hometown heroes.
For more information about the book, click here.
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The Source
Information for this story was gathered by FOX 13 photojournalist Bryan Gray.
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