Winter has come and gone, but funds are still on the way for unsheltered veterans.

With an event titled “Game of Throws” the group Nation’s Finest aim wasn’t just at cornhole boards on Saturday, it was also raising funds for unsheltered veterans returning home from duty. The event at Napa Smith Brewery was just one of nine sites in three different states (California, Arizona, Nevada) with a mission to raise awareness and $150,000 in funds for homeless veterans.

Nation’s Finest is a nonprofit that was founded 50 years ago that serves over 3,500 veterans and their families every year. Its primary focus has been on housing, mental health, case management and employment services. It was founded in 1972 by three veterans in Santa Rosa and has been ticking ever since.

That being said, the primary focus on Saturday was to meet new people, have a few beers and throw a small bag a few feet into a small hole and gain 21 points.

“This feels great and I’m so happy to see all the community come out and support the veterans,” Nation’s Finest Case Manager Nicole Stinnett said. “This event began when we started thinking about ways to celebrate the 50th anniversary and got a real big push starting in January. I think my favorite part has been seeing the faces of the players when they see what prizes they are going to win.”

Stinnett hopes to make the event an annual one. The prizes included a gas grill, a wheel barrow full of liquor, tickets to Great America, a tank ride at America Armory Museum and a 55-inch television, just to name a few, according to Stinnett.

But while there was a lot of prizes to be given out, there was also plenty of awareness on the homeless veteran issue to be told.

“I think one of the biggest misconceptions is that homeless people want to be homeless,” Stinnett said. “That is not at all true. But it takes months to gain a veterans trust because they’ve been let down so many times before.”

Staff Sergeant Jesus Escobar, who has been in the Army for five years, was at the event and sank a few big throws.

“I’m here to support veterans who aren’t getting the overall help they need,” Escobar siad. “So I’m happy to be here.”

So was Terresa Rodriguez, who has been in the Army for 11 years.

“I’m not going to play today. I’ll be the referee,” said Rodriguez, with a laugh. “But I love how the whole community has come together to support the veterans. I think the biggest thing people should know (about unsheltered veterans) is that you need to be patient. Veterans are going through a whole lot that can’t really be explained by anyone but them.”

Reese Levasseur is a veterans that served from 1992 to 2002 in Operation Desert Storm, while also being in one of the first units to serve overseas after 9/11. He was injured in a motorcycle accident in 2005 that has confined him to a wheelchair. He currently works as a light armor vehicle operator.

“I was kind of an adrenaline junkie when I came back from serving,” Levasseur said. “I had developed this Superman complex that I could do anything and I think that’s one of the reasons I got hurt.”

That being said, Levasseur appears to have no kryptonite, as the man competes in many sports such as cornhole. He won a gold medal in 2019 for off-roading. He also plays disc golf.

“I’m looking forward to the camaraderie today,” Levasseur said. “And I’m always up for something helping veterans. People sometimes can’t understand the kind of stress level people go through when coming back. We’re hoping to raise awareness so congress can pass some bills that will help with mental health care and help make the transition easier for veterans.”

Levasseur’s teammate, Troy Plunkett, the president and CEO of Sci Active Network, is also in a wheelchair. Although not a veteran himself, he was thrilled to be on hand for the event Saturday. Plunkett said he’s been playing cornhole for three years.

“I play here pretty often, so when I saw they were holding an event to help support homeless veterans I wanted to be here and show my support,” Plunkett said. “Hopefully we get a great turnout. It’s nice to do something local and help out the homeless, because that’s a big issue here. They don’t get the support that they need. A lot of people think that veterans don’t want the support because they were in combat and are too proud to ask for help. That’s not true. We need more resources to help people get back into their jobs and way of living.”

Stinnett has never played cornhole before, but said she would eventually play before the day was over.

“They talked me into it. But I think it’s so they can make fun of me,” Stinnett said, with a laugh.

“It’s really important that we stand behind the veterans,” Stinnett continued. “We’re here to support them in any way we can.”