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Veterans, families treated to food and fun at Welcome Home event
Teresa, Caleb, Harold, and Kaitlyn Clark pose for a photo during the Huntington VA Medical Center's Welcome Home event for Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom veterans and their families on Saturday, July 25, 2009, at Ona Speedway and Airpark. Veteran soldier Sgt. Harold was stationed in both Iraq and Afganistan.
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ONA -- Thirty veterans and their families were given a warm, though rainy, welcome on Saturday afternoon during a special event at Ona Speedway and Airpark.
The second annual Welcome Home event was hosted by the Huntington VA Medical Center for Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom veterans. Despite a midday storm, many military families enjoyed free food, games, a rock climbing wall and aircraft displays.
"Our welcome home event is to show our appreciation of our veterans. We definitely want to make sure they are told welcome home," said Michele Michael, OEF/OIF program manager for the Huntington VA.
While the event centered on fun and socialization, VA staff also gave veterans the chance to find out about important services.
Michael said many veterans were connected to informational booths, where they enrolled for various services and learned about state and federal benefits and employment and educational opportunities.
She said the event was very well supported by not only veterans, but by the VA staff and their families who donated their time to the event, too. She said local businesses and organizations also pitched in, donating food, prizes and even the location.
"It was just overwhelming," she said.
Tiffany Lasater, OEF/OIF program support assistant at the Huntington VA, said she and four others looked forward to and planned the event for weeks.
"We knew it was the Welcome Home event and we really wanted to do it," she said.
Throughout the year, the five-person "Seamless Transition Team" works with veterans to connect them to services and resources.
"You really get to know them," Lasater said.
While she and case manager Billi Crank, nurse case manager Sandy Nutter, and transition patient advocate George Brawn organized this year's event, Lasater said they are always looking for volunteers and could use help for next year.
Anyone interested in volunteering or who wants more information about veteran services may call Lasater at 304-429-6755, Ext. 3172.
