By: KSBY Staff Posted 12:27 PM, May 16, 2025 Dozens of local veterans were given a hero’s welcome Wednesday night in Santa Maria. Eighty-three Korean and Vietnam War veterans were greeted by emphatic family members, friends and strangers as they arrived at the Santa Maria Airport following an honor flight to Washington, D.C. As part of the Honor Flight Central Coast California…
By: McKenzie Diaz Posted 5:49 PM, Dec 16, 2024 On Monday, case workers from different veterans agencies around the Central Coast met at A La Carte in Santa Maria, collecting donations to distribute to local veterans. “There were six or seven cars loaded with presents and it just looked like Santa had done his work here,” said Donna Wilson, owner of A…
By: McKenzie Diaz Posted 11:42 PM, Dec 08, 2024 and last updated 12:12 AM, Dec 09, 2024 The holidays came early for some local veterans eager to give back to other veterans in need. Veteran-led non-profit, Welcome Home Military Heroes, hosted their 7th annual Veteran Tree event on Sunday. “I know what it takes for a veteran to ask for help because…
By: Grace Bennett Posted 11:07 PM, Dec 05, 2024 On Sunday, veteran-led non-profit Welcome Home Military Heroes is set to host its 7th annual “Angel Tree Ride” event. “Angel Trees” are Christmas trees set up by businesses across the Central Coast. Each tree is adorned with tags detailing the wishes and needs of local veterans and families in need, which community members…
Veterans — primarily from the Vietnam Era — spent all day Tuesday in Washington D.C., touring various sites and memorials before arriving on the Central Coast Wednesday night. By: Ken Allard Local veterans who visited Washington D.C. to see veterans memorials at no cost returned to the Central Coast Wednesday night — and a passionate crowd awaited their arrival. The trip…
By: Katherine Worsham A local non-profit gave out gifts to local veterans and their families in Santa Maria on Friday. It’s all part of the Welcome Home Military Heroes group’s Veteran Angel Tree program. Earlier this year, organizers placed seven trees at different businesses across the Central Coast. Hanging on the tree were cards with veterans’ wish lists. Community members could…
By: Neil Hebert Even with the passing of the organization’s fearless founder, the nonprofit Helping Soldiers in the Desert marches on, providing care packages to troops serving overseas. Si Tenenberg was a firm believer that no troop, regardless of their deployment, should go underserved. Under his tenure from the organization’s inception in 2006 to his passing in February of 2022, the…
By: Sydney Morgan Posted at 5:23 PM, Jan 05, 2023 and last updated 5:23 PM, Jan 05, 2023 Welcome Home Military Heroes celebrated its 5th annual Veteran’s Angel Tree program. “It was our most successful year so far,” said Cheryl Tolan, the co-founder and secretary of the organization. The members of this organization team up with social workers and the Facebook group…
By: Austin Herbaugh Posted at 8:31 AM, Nov 12, 2022 It was a night of golf, food, and fun aimed at helping local veterans in Santa Maria for the second annual “Tee it up for Veterans” event. Organizers expect to raise $80,000 to $90,000 for two local non-profits that help veterans on a daily basis. A sizeable crowd of veterans and their…
By: KSBY News and 23ABC staff and last updated 4:04 PM, Sep 04, 2022 A well-known member of the vintage aircraft community and board member of the Estrella Warbirds Museum was killed in a plane crash Friday in Shafter. Representatives of the museum confirmed that the pilot was Sherman Smoot. According to the Kern County Fire Department, he was flying a…
