HIGH POINT, N.C. -- The Heroes Center officially opened Saturday.
- The center is a support camp for veterans
- Once renovated, the camp can house 26 veteran students
- Organizers say it is a place where veterans can feel safe and comfortable
The center is a veterans support camp. The camp's founder, Bob Uber, says the camp provides housing for veterans currently enrolled at Guilford Technical Community College.
He is also a Vietnam veteran and says housing is crucial to veterans' success in school.
"If they do not have place that they can call home and they're living in the back of their car or couch surfing along with their friends, then their completion rate will drop dramatically. What we want to do is help them become finishers, not starters," Uber said.
The camp's director, Bev Hakki, says it is also a place to make veterans feel safe and comfortable.
"What we want to perform here is a family, a Hero Center family where like-minded people can come, share, have time away from people if they don't want to be around others, be around like-minded people. If they do want to be around others, have some breathing space to help them understand where they are and how everything works," Hakki said.
Several cottages were opened Saturday. Once the larger dormitory building is renovated, the camp can house 26 veteran students.