MARION, Ill. (WSIL) -- A local business donated funds to help fund a project by the Marion Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW).
Timberline Fresh donated $5,000 to the Marion VFW to help purchase a new sign that replaces the old one on Route 37 and Longstreet Road.
The old sign is manually operated using letters. Project coordinator Ray Hancock says the goal is to purchase an electric sign that displays pictures and messages detailing events or other resources.
The project is seeking $45,000 to $50,000 in donations to make the purchase. With Tuesday's donation, the group has raised just over $30,000 from more than 100 donors.
Hancock hopes the new signs can welcome more veterans to the VFW in order to share their stories and open up about their past. Hancock says it can help veterans open up about their mental health.
"A lot of those people find it difficult to come back and talk about that with the average person," Hancock said. "They don't think anybody understands and they don't fully understand themselves. Many of them are traumatized."
Hancock hopes to get more donations by the end of the month so they can begin taking bids on signs and start the building process.