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We are dedicated to a single purpose: empowering veterans to lead high-quality lives with respect and dignity. We accomplish this by ensuring that veterans and their families can access the full range of benefits available to them; fighting for the interests of America’s injured heroes on Capitol Hill; and educating the public about the great sacrifices and needs of veterans transitioning back to civilian life.
A non-profit 501(c)(4) organization dedicated to the service of our nation's injured heroes, DAV is here to help you and to ensure that you are not alone on you road to recovery.
DAV Chapter 16 has been an active Veterans service organization of the DAV Department of Arizona and the National DAV organization since December 15, 1950. The sole mission of the Chapter is to assist veterans and veteran families in obtaining the best quality of life possible.
Chapter 16 is the sole owner of the DAV “Trift” Store and all profits derived from the store are used towards this mission. The Chapter currently owns not only the “Trift” Store that employees seven veterans it owns two residences in the Prescott Area that house several veterans who were previously homeless.
The Chapter also works directly with the Northern Arizona Veterans Medical Center by providing recreational programs at both the Community Living Center, and the Domiciliary. We sponsor and support field trips, BINGO, Horse Racing, Sporting Events, Plays, Rodeos, recreational room supplies and other activities for veterans hospitalized in these facilities.
The Chapter’s “Trift” Store assists veterans and their families directly with help for veterans who may require furniture, clothing, household items or transportation. The Chapter also proudly sponsors and supports “JustBKids” which provides summer camps to children of fallen and disabled veterans, and “Hunts for Hero’s” which provides outward bound therapy in the battle to fight veteran suicides.
Sometimes a misspelling is an error, and sometimes it is on purpose – and at least once, it’s both. Consider the Disabled American Veterans store, 730 N. Fifth Street. A reader wrote this past week: “I drive past the Disabled Am. Vet store weekly, and as a newcomer to Prescott I have a question about their signs. Both their store, sign on the fence and truck say ‘Trift’ – I assume the word to be ‘Thrift’ but it is missing the ‘H.’ “Is there a reason the word ‘Thrift’ is misspelled? I checked the dictionary and cannot find the word ‘Trift’? Thanks in advance for your response.” The local DAV officials told me that a disabled veteran, M. Seidel, painted the signs shortly before he died of a brain tumor. They are not clear on how long ago he did this; the store’s current managers have been here three and five years – and it pre-dates them. Also, The Daily Courier published a letter to the editor in 2003 stating the same reasoning.
To wit, they attribute the misspelling to Mr. Seidel’s impairment. “The Prescott DAV Chapter 16 decided to retain the TRIFT STORE spelling in his honor,” according to the 2003 letter and a press release from the store. “We operate the only TRIFT STORE in the country.”
That’s very admirable. The manager told me this past week that Seidel “thought he spelled it correctly, and we decided to honor and memorialize that.”
Consider also a headline we had on Page 1A in January: “Favour-able: Prominent attorney lived, shaped Prescott history.” A reader asked whether we had shifted to the European spellings for words such as “favor.” Nope, we did it on purpose – a play on words with the man’s name. It was a story about Al Favour, who died at the age of 93 on Jan. 12.
So, you never know when something is a mistake, a missed take or a misteak. (Sorry, play on words again.)***
By the way, “the TRIFT STORE has succeeded because of the support and patronage of the local community. DAV members of Prescott Chapter 16 thank the people of Prescott, Prescott Valley, Chino Valley and surrounding communities for their contributions and purchases at the store.”
730 5th Street
Prescott, AZ 86301
400 Gurley St
Prescott, AZ 86301
If you or someone you love is a veteran in need of assistance, please call us, so that we can counsel individuals on the many VA benefits for which they may be entitled.
We advocate for veterans with medical and mental health challenges. Empowering veterans to lead high-quality lives with respect and dignity.
We link service-injured veterans to job training and job assistance programs. Participate in the American Dream with your sacrifice.
We help homeless veterans by connecting them to resources for food, shelter, and other assistance programs.
DAV is a nonprofit charity that provides a lifetime of support for veterans of all generations and their families.
We are here to help every step of the way. Please call our office to get the help you need.
We give emergency grants to ill and injured veterans impacted by natural disasters.
DAV Chapter 16
DAV Trift Store on 5th Street
DAV Thrift Store on Gurley
