Tribute Fest helping prevent veterans experience homelessness

Tribute Fest has been going on for 15 years, with proceeds helping prevent veterans from experiencing homelessness. Not only is Tribute Fest helping prevent veterans experience homelessness, it’s providing rock music covers.

It’s estimated that 1% of veterans, or close to 4,100, will experience an episode of homelessness this year in Minnesota. Lou Campbell, the Tribute Fest event organizer, said that people in the Northland need to lend a helping hand. “For a lot of the people who come back from the service, sometimes the struggle can be absolutely mind boggling.”

Campbell said yesterday was their most popular day ever. “We have 20 bands on two stages over two days and it’s absolutely amazing,” Campbell said. “We go from noon until 11:00pm each day for the music. So there’s 22 hours of music when one band finishes, the other band starts up right away.”

Nearly $3,600 were raised where the proceeds go to the Minnesota Assistance Council for Veterans. “There are people who can help, and MACV is one of them, and they do an amazing job,” Campbell said. “They have all the services you could possibly want legal, financial, physical and anything they can help with. And they’re right here in Duluth.”

Campbell said that he’s already planning for next year’s tribute fest, but he’s going to need some help.  “But next year we are going to be meeting close to 100 volunteers,” Campbell said. “You think ‘Well, that’s an awful lot.’ We have to set it up and we have to tear it down. So 20 people a day really make a difference on putting this whole thing together.”

For more information about Tribute Fest helping to prevent veterans experience homelessness you can look here. Also for other stories with Veterans you can read more here.