Event provides helping hand to veterans
St. Joseph News-PressJun 03, 2018
"That's why this event was started in the first place -- you'd be surprised how many veterans don't know that certain things are available to them because it's not known, it's not talked about," said
In its fourth year, Vet2Vet, a collaboration between agencies such as the
In the years since it started, the event grew from being held in churches to the
Keesler said that often when veterans come home, they're told about assistance from the
"The
Included in some of the resources offered to veterans are discounted or free fixes for automobiles and health care options if they have to wait more than 30 days for the
"It's just small resources that most of the time they don't realize they have," Keesler said.
Considered the area's largest veterans resource event, the event provides the chance to connect with other vets, as well as get a free meal and haircut.
At 2017's Vet2Vet event, First Sgt.
"When you bring all the different resources together in one place, it makes it a lot easier for people to look, find out what they're needing, and those needs are met," he said in a previous interview. "When they feel the support of the community around them, they're more inclined to move forward and take those initial first steps. As this happens every year, you're going to see more people come out and finally accept those resources that are out there."
The event will include activities for the whole family, including music, a craft and coloring table, a veteran giving demonstrations of how to live out of a pup tent and getting pictures with a motorcycle.
"It's better to be inclusive than be like 'Oh, if you're not a veteran then you can't come.' We want the whole community and kind of just honor the veterans that have served," Keesler said. "Even current military, we just want the community to be aware of how many veterans there are locally."
Seeing the effect the event has on veterans and the relief they get from knowing help is out there fills the hearts of people in the participating organizations.
"I, myself, am not giving them the resources, but I'm letting the resources be available in one place. It makes things a lot easier to find and if it helps them out, it's an even greater feeling," Keesler said.
The event is free and open to the public. For more information, contact Keesler at ckeesler@youth-alliance.org or call 816-232-0050.
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