The 3rd annual Mid-Valley Stand Down for Veterans was held on September 21, 2017 at Linn-Benton Community College in Albany. The event had been held in Lebanon for the first two years, and this year featured a new venue and an earlier date. Over 50 providers were on hand to assist veterans in attendance with connecting to needed services. There were also donations of clothing, gear, and hygiene items available to veterans who needed them. Of the veterans in attendance, nearly half identified themselves as homeless, which is the group that the Stand Down targets. Veterans were able to receive a warm meal (or two), assistance with finding resources, a free haircut, and a warm welcome from those in attendance. Response from those who attended was overwhelmingly positive.This year we saw an increased turnout of volunteers for the event. Of note were the volunteers from Hewlett Packard, most of whom were veterans themselves. They served as greeters and guides for veterans attending the event, often sharing a meal and conversation with the vets who attended. They did a great job and are eager to volunteer again at the 2018 Stand Down. Even the crew from the CSC Finance Dept. helped out at this year’s event!
We received many donations from the community for the event. The LBCC Veterans Club sponsored the event and enabled us to get the facility free of charge. We received financial donations from Disabled American Veterans, St. Bernard Church of Scio, as well as individuals who gave through the CSC website. Burgerville of Corvallis held a fundraiser for the Stand Down prior to the event and have plans to do so again. The Corvallis Chipotle recently held a funder for the next Stand Down and are hoping to so again before the 2018 event.
Plans are already in the works for the 2018 Stand Down. For more information on how you can become involved, contact Connie Barkdull (541-704-7648) or Mikalyn Martinez (541-758-2761) at CSC.
