As Veterans Day approaches, it seems to be an appropriate time to say a belated, "Thank you," to a local veteran who passed away this summer.

Toby Armijo was a volunteer for the Vietnam Veterans of America and the Columbia Basin Veterans Coalition. He helped hundreds, if not thousands, of vets wade through the maze of paperwork to file claims for service connected disabilities. Most of this work was done with little or no compensation.

I had only known Toby for about one year. After knowing him for only a few minutes, I felt that I had made a friend for life. He worked tirelessly for the veterans of this area and he will be sorely missed. For those of you who were helped by Toby's efforts, the best way to honor his memory would be to "pay it forward" by helping another veteran. It may be impossible to replace Toby, but if each of us does just a little it will be a start.

GARY D. CLARK

Kennewick