Leonard Eisert spent most of his youth bouncing around foster homes.
It was the early 1940s in Racine, Wis., a suburb of about 78,000 southeast of Milwaukee. The idea of a children's advocacy group was nonexistent.
The courts had ruled that Eisert's parents were unfit to take care of him or his brother. And the pair didn't find much refuge with their new families. The brothers' worst experience came when they were exploited for labor.
So when Eisert turned 18, he joined the Army at the tail end of World War II.
"I joined the service to escape the foster homes," said Eisert, who's lived in Bella Vista for the last 29 years.
After a three-year tour, Eisert headed north. He enrolled at the University of Wisconsin and studied economics. Following graduation, he "didn't know what to do," but he got a marketing job with Texaco, now Chevron Corp.
Nearly three decades later, he and his wife, LaVerne, settled in the Ozarks.
"I loved the job, but when (Texaco) bought Skelly Oil, they had more marketing people than they knew what to do with," Eisert said. "So they offered a buyout and I took it."
"I got paid for two years, every month. But there were no raises," Eisert joked.
Eisert hasn't been a model retiree. He doesn't like to fish or golf, so he's kept busy with several part-time jobs over the years, including a stint with Cooper Communities Inc.
But his real passion is fundraising -- specifically for Court Appointed Special Advocates.
A national nonprofit organization, CASA of Northwest Arkansas came to the area in 1997. It pairs volunteers with foster children or youngsters who are at risk of entering the foster system. Appointed to cases by a judge, CASA volunteers seek to fill the void for foster children where social workers or foster families fail.
"We're sort of another outside person, there to find out facts and provide a report for the judge," said Pam Borth, a recent retiree to Bella Vista. "And the judge really takes our reports to heart because they know we're there to help find out the needs and strengths of our kids that a social worker or foster family can't. We'll advocate on their behalf."
"We look to make sure they have their basic needs met and they're being taken care of," Borth added. "But we're also able to be a sort of confidant for them -- we just do what we can for them and make them as happy as they can be."
Most CASA advocates take on one case at a time. Often, they're paired with kids that have been abused or neglected. CASA of Northwest Arkansas covers Washington, Benton and Carroll counties and offers training programs for volunteers.
To apply, volunteers must be 21 or older and have no felony convictions. CASA normally asks that volunteers spend 15 hours per month with their cases, which range from newborns to teenagers. More information can be found at www.nwacasa.org.
CASA advocates have been instrumental in positively impacting the lives of their cases, according to nationwide evaluations. Several studies of state-level CASA programs found that a child with a CASA volunteer was more likely to find a safe or permanent home, do better in school and have less destructive behavior.
"The money goes to train and improve volunteers," Eisert said, who added that CASA serves a valuable role in building relationships with at-risk youth.
But Leonard's generosity doesn't stop with CASA.
He was a catalyst in erecting the Veterans Wall of Honor. Located along the banks of Lake Bella Vista, the wall was dedicated in 2004. It memorializes service men and women from the Revolutionary War to the present.
"It isn't just me, though," Eisert says adamantly. "It's the community, the board. You couldn't do it with just me."
The idea behind Veteran's Wall originated with Eisert's brother. He developed a similar monument in Mountain Home, Ark., and Eisert pushed for construction in Bella Vista. The Veterans Council of Northwest Arkansas, of which Eisert is a board member, has been instrumental in maintaining the monument and giving tours to the public.
Eisert has big plans for Veterans Wall. There are preliminary designs to develop a park adjacent to the Wall. Eisert said he'll be working with the Veterans Council on a more finite plan.
Eisert is just as active in bringing military bands to the area. He's been the primary contact for some of the well-received concerts in Bella Vista over the last few months. Other organizers include the Weekly Vista, Arvest Bank and the Veterans Wall of Honor Council.
"We couldn't do it without the publicity," Eisert said, noting that it's a team effort. "It's not just me."
The council's next project is for Armed Forces Day on May 16 at Veterans Wall. Jake Greely, Arkansas American Legion Commander, will be the keynote speaker. The JM Band will perform as well.
"They do a great job," Eisert said. "They're a 17-piece band."
"I've been trying to get the Marine band to play here, but they don't seem to want to leave Washington D.C.," Eisert added. "That's our next project."
Eisert said that he sees the concerts as a community service. His only payment? The many thanks he gets for organizing the performances. And if you drop him a line, he just might write back.
General News on 04/01/2015