Oakhurst – All veterans and their families are invited to participate in a festive and practical Veterans’ Stand Down on Saturday, May 10, from 9 a.m. – 1 p.m., at Sierra Pines Church.
Organizers behind the stand down want all area vets to visit for free services and amenities, throughout an upbeat day complete with food, refreshments and music.
Veterans can enjoy a tasty meal, entertainment and the chance to pick up pants, coats, sleeping bags, free military gear and more.
An on-site mobile command center will have counselors and staff from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to provide information, make appointments, and get veterans signed up for any help they may need. In addition, advisors will be on-hand to discuss military benefits.
Gear such as sleeping bags may be especially important for some nearby vets. A revealing report by the VA indicates that veterans are over-represented in the homeless population.
Veterans in 2010 accounted for 10% of the total adult U.S. population and 15% of the homeless adult population. In rural areas, the number of veterans “on the streets” is often higher. http://www.va.gov/VETDATA/docs/SpecialReports/Homeless_Veterans_2009-2010.pdf
The term “stand down” is used in the military to refer to a time when spent combat units require and are allotted a period to rest and recover from battle, in a safe and secure environment.
In the case of the Oakhurst Stand Down, and others like it across the nation, the words apply to community-based programs meant to help homeless and at-risk veterans get the supplies and services needed to survive stateside.
Sierra Pines Church is located at 40855 Covey Court.
For more information contact Terry Cole 559-760-5056 or Brandon Murray 559-676-8463
