AMBOY – Sometimes a conversation over a fence between neighbors can be productive.

Like in the case of Kyle Their and Jack Mead.

Mead, the president of the Amboy American Legion Post 453, was talking to Their about a project he was thinking about. Their, one of 14 board members for the non-profit organization, Vets Helping Vets, thought maybe they could help.

Earlier in November, Vets Helping Vets presented the Amboy American Legion with a check for $1,500.

“The Amboy American Legion put flags out on veteran’s graves for Memorial Day. It takes a lot of flags and there are always difficulties with missing graves,” Mead said. “Looking at American Legion magazines, I noticed something new organizations are doing is they’re putting flag posts at the entrance of cemeteries. Those flags fly for all veterans who are in the cemetery.

“Kyle and I talked about it and knew it was going to be expensive. Kyle said it would be a possibility for Vets Helping Vets could donate toward the endeavor. They donated to help us put flag posts at the entrances of St. Patrick’s Cemetery and Prairie Repose Cemetery in Amboy.”

Mead said the legion may add flag posts to the entrances of other cemeteries, but the Amboy organization wanted to start in Amboy.

Vets Helping Vets, founded by Amboy natives Dave Schrock and Dan Koch 13 years ago. Their came aboard three years ago as a veteran who wanted to help others.

The non-profit donates funds to different locations yearly.

“We do one big fundraiser every year which is a big golf outing at Shady Oaks Country Club (in Sublette). It’s usually the second Saturday of June,” Their said. “It’s a huge fundraiser where we usually fill the entire course with 38-40 teams. There is a standing waiting list that starts a month and a half before the fundraiser starts. That’s where the non-profit organization makes its money.

“We do a lot donations to places like the VFW. We’ve given out meal vouchers to veterans on Veterans Day. We’ve also helped local National Guard armories with multiple things including giving young soldiers gas cards because they drive from quite a ways away. We’ve also help veterans find a home.”

Kyle’s father, Mike Their, is on the Honor Flight of the Quad Cities Committee which also partners with Vets Helping Vets, which sponsored five vets and five guardians on a recent flight to Washington D.C.