The Oceana County Department of Veterans Affairs (OCDVA) is looking forward to this Saturday’s Annual Veterans Day 5K starting at 10 a.m. in Shelby and its newest event, the first Annual Veterans Day Parade in Hart starting at 2 p.m.
The addition of a parade is not only a wonderful opportunity to bring the community together but echoes the OCDVA’s mission statement which says in part, “... to care for, lend support to, and be an advocate for the veterans of Oceana County, their spouses, and families.”
Located in the Oceana County Services Building at 844 S. Griswold in Hart, the OCDVA is available to help veterans with a variety of issues, including health care, disability claims, and short-term emergent needs. A veterans food/dry goods pantry is available as well. Veterans need only verify their service to participate. Because pantry needs are always changing, those wishing to donate to the pantry should call prior to purchasing or bringing in donations.
While Saturday’s events will be focused on celebrating all of the area’s veterans, “normal” life will resume next week. Veterans Service Officer Jodi Slinkard with OCDVA had this message to share with all Oceana County veterans, “Many people (veterans) don’t believe they are deserving of help, that they don’t meet the criteria. But it’s always good to check. They wrote a blank check to the government, and regardless if they saw combat or not, they are deserving of help. Before they think they don’t qualify, I’d invite them to stop in to get the correct information.”
For contact information and a link to the organization’s Facebook page, please visit https://oceana.mi.us/departmen...
