Special to the Tribune
MOODY — Veterans living in St. Clair County will soon have an event geared toward helping them with access to VA benefits and many other resources aimed at improving their quality of life.
Curtis Pippin, coordinator for the Veterans Outreach Program for the St. Clair County Extension Office, is excited to announce The Veterans and Military Families Resource Fair. It will be held Saturday, June 25, at the Moody Civic Center from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Lunch will be served, and there will be door prizes.
Pippin has coordinated with the Assistant Commissioner for Outreach and Engagement for the Alabama Department of Veterans Affairs (ADVA), Bob Horton, who has confirmed that the ADVA would have several Veteran Service Officers on-site to assist Veterans with claims and to field questions from the community.
“We will also be working with some local agencies that serve veterans,” Horton said. “They will be coming out to set up booths as well.”
Pippin is working to recruit approximately 20 other agencies that serve the Veterans of St. Clair County to come out and speak to the community during this event.
“It’s really an opportunity for veterans to come out and meet with the VA to see what kind of benefits they may be eligible for and to learn about some local resources they may not know about,” Pippin said.
Lee Ann Clark, the St. Clair County Extension Coordinator, said the Extension Office actually had an event like this many years ago and that it was very successful.
“Curtis has his own ideas, and that is great,” Clark said. “This is something that is definitely needed. I hope the community will support this because it is great for our veterans and their families.”
Pippin has already confirmed several agencies in attendance, including the Krulak Marine Alliance of Alabama, which will promote suicide prevention, VA enrollment, and child firearm safety.
Also scheduled to be at the event is Michelle Tumlin with The Houston Project, located in Pell City.
“The Houston Project sells apparel and donates 100 percent of the proceeds to veteran causes,” Pippin said. “There hasn’t been an event like this in our county for too long, and I am excited to be a part of it. We want this to be something valuable not only to the veteran but also their family members, so we encourage everyone to come out and participate.
“The heart of what we do in Extension is educating the community about resources relevant to their unique needs,” Pippin said. “It’s a free event, just show up. They can visit any of the 20 or so booths we will have set up for them and ask as many questions as they would like. It’s also a chance for veterans to meet other veterans from across the county.”
Although Pippin said he did not know what to expect, he is hoping to have between 100 and 200 veterans throughout the day.
Pippin added that if there were any local agencies that work with veterans or have a heart for serving veterans, just reach out to him, and he can get you registered for the event.
For more information concerning this event, call Pippin at 205-753-1156, come by the Extension Office, which is in the basement of the St. Clair County Courthouse in Pell City, or email him at czp0036@auburn.edu.