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Eric Hagen
ECM Staff Writer
 A World War II veteran who served America was initially not serviced well by the bureaucratic system, but a group of people have helped him start a new life in an Anoka apartment.
Karl Zvanovec, 87, lost almost all his possessions when his house in Minneapolis burned to the ground Nov. 27, 2007.
Chris Bairaktaris, right, of Project Hope North in Forest Lake gives Karl Zvanovec, left, a quilt made by JoAnn Benoy of Scandia.
Friends were able to recover many old framed photos of German and Prussian emperors but not much else. He lost all but six of his 1200 books, valuable antique furniture, china and other memorabilia.
He also lost his cat, Schultz.
Zvanovec was born in the United States on Sept. 18, 1920. At that time, full names were not required on birth certificates. Zvanovec’s birth certificate, which a friend recovered from the fire-gutted home, only had his last name on it.
He could not get a new Social Security card without a photo identification. The catch was he could not get a photo ID without a Social Security card, a passport or a marriage license. He does not have a passport, is single and has no driver’s license so he was stuck.
A series of KSTP Channel 5 news stories less than two months ago helped him get his identity back.
According to a Minnesota Department of Veterans Affairs newsletter, Anoka County Veteran Service Office Director Duane Krueger saw the KSTP story and wanted to help so he got a letter from Veterans Administration (VA) confirming Zvanovec’s dates of service and receipts of benefits from the VA.
Zvanovec said with the help of Krueger and Phil O’Donnell, deputy director of the Anoka County Veterans Service Office, he was able to get a photo ID from the Department of Public Safety.
“He had one of the biggest smiles I’ve ever seen on his face,” family friend Barb James said.
Zvanovec still had other issues to deal with. Barb said the day after the fire, the city of Minneapolis sent him a letter that they would demolish his uninhabitable home and assess him for those expenses and for cleanup, including removing the tree branch that had fallen, struck the power lines and caused the fire.
The city also charged him $50 to shut off the water and $15 per month so water from his home goes to the storm sewer drain, both of which James said is unthinkable considering the home is no longer there and he is on limited income.
Barb and her husband Tom James have been friends with Zvanovec for about 30 years and did a lot to help him recover from the fire.
Zvanovec called the James at 3 a.m. on Nov. 27, 2007 — a couple of hours after the fire — and asked if he could stay with them.
Barb said they had been trying to get him to move from his Minneapolis home because it was in a high-crime area. He had two dead bolts on his doors, there were bars on his windows and a loaded gun under his bed with the safety off. He had two break-ins and a couple other attempted break-ins and in one instance almost shot an intruder before he ran off.
It was hard to think about moving though. Zvanovec had bought the home in 1960 and rented it out for four years before moving in by himself.
Zvanovec said if he had to think of a benefit, moving to a much safer Anoka would be one.
“We’re pleased to get him out of that area, but we’re so sad with what he lost,” Barb said.
During his four-day stay at the Hennepin County Medical Center, Zvanovec received a piece of good news.
Zvanovec’s story was already starting to spread. Nancy Hamann, manager of the 45-unit Walker on the River senior apartment complex in Anoka; Sharron Sandberg, a social worker in the Anoka County Senior Services Division; and Dawn Bendiske of the Anoka County Community Action Program worked together to get him into the Anoka apartment building.
The James picked Zvanovec up after his four-day stay in the hospital and brought him to their Cedar home. He stayed there for about a month before moving into Walker on the River.
Christ Bairaktaris of Project Hope North, Inc. in Forest Lake was instrumental in stocking Zvanovec’s new apartment.
Bairaktaris also heard about Zvanovec’s story from the KSTP broadcast and became determined to help the World War II veteran.
Project Hope North provides relief to victims of natural disasters but has started to focus efforts on helping veterans as well, according to Phil Kamman of Hugo who helps Bairaktaris raise money.
Both Bairaktaris and Kamman served in the military. Bairaktaris was on active duty from 1953 to 1955 in the U.S. Army where he served as a photographer for a commanding general. Kamman served in the U.S. Navy during the Vietnam War from 1963 to 1967.
Project Hope North has spent approximately $2000 so far buying furniture, a TV, microwave, dishes, groceries and other cleaning, kitchen and bathroom items including a chair for his shower because he is unable to stand without a cane.
“Anything he needed, we got it for him,” Bairaktaris said.
Bairaktaris hopes to raise another $2500 for Zvanovec to buy more home supplies, including an air conditioner, which Zvanovec’s apartment does not have.
Project Hope North raises much of its money through word of mouth, but it also receives donations from charitable gambling funds from the American Legion Post 620 in Hugo. Kamman is the Legion’s manager of charitable gambling.
Zvanovec has kept a list of the people who have helped him. Besides the individuals and organizations already mentioned, others include Paul Boschoert and Bill Runnow, who helped salvage items from his Minneapolis home, and Tom Huerth, a neighbor in Minneapolis who had called 911 when he saw Zvanovec’s home on fire.
A number of people at he Walker on the River complex have also been extremely helpful, Zvanovec said. One lady is part of a ladies society that donated money to him. The maintenance man helped set up his apartment and the apartment staff helped him with other daily chores like they would for any of their residents, Hamann said.
“I couldn’t believe how widespread it was and how compassionate and generous people and the organizations were,” Zvanovec said.
Barb said she has noticed Zvanovec’s personality change since the aftermath of the fire. She said he was sad and gruff but started to come around.The James invited Zvanovec to their family Christmas. Some of the teenagers were talking about Van Halen, so Zvanovec started singing Van Halen songs in a low voice. Barb said the teens high-fived him and thought it was so cool.
“He’s more content, more accepting of what’s happened to him,” Barb said. “He still feels the loss, but he’s changed.”
Zvanovec said he probably will never be able to get over what he lost in that fire though.
Donations can be sent to Project Hope North, Inc., P.O. Box 428, Forest Lake, MN 55025. For more information, call (651) 464-7263.
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