Veterans standdown held at Herman Park
By Steve Herring
Published in News on October 9, 2016 1:45 AM
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Veterans Freeman E. Matthews of Wilson and Dave Warnick of Holly Springs attended Thursday's veterans standdown for different reasons -- Matthews to look for resources; Warnick to help provide them.
But both agreed there was still one thing about the event that bound all of the veterans together -- the chance a chance to talk, to socialize and to heal.
"It is a good thing," said Matthews, a Marine Corps veteran. "You can socialize with other veterans in the same ballpark that you are in, and you can help one another.
"If they have already been through it, they can tell me, and then I will know where to go."
In the case of homeless veterans it might be the first time that anyone has really spoken to them, said Warnick.
He served 21 years in the Navy and now works for AT&T, and he participates in its veterans organization as the vice president for North Carolina.
"We work with Military Missions in Action doing a lot of events," he said. "It is to give back -- even if I just talk to them. These vets, especially the ones that are homeless don't have anything and shouldn't be homeless.
"It is really important that we give back. At AT&T we are on a thing where it is important to understand his point of view. Then it is important, and I feel as a veteran it is my duty, never goes away, it is my duty to continue to support my brothers and sisters. I do this now because I have to do it. It is like a calling."
Sponsored by the Wayne County Veterans and Patriots Coalition, and held at Herman Park Center, the veterans standdown offered a centralized resource center for veterans.
The event featured 25 vendors providing a variety of services for veterans.
They included the Salvation Army, Goshen Medical Center, NC4Vets, Department of Veterans Affairs Minority Veterans Outreach, Veterans Residential Services of Wilson and others.
The Bridge church served hot dogs. There were also free clothing and free shoes.
"Standdown in the military is something that you do when there has been an accident or incident on base where we need to regroup and look at our procedures and look at how we are handling a situation," said Melissa Watkins, Wayne County Veterans and Patriots Coalition first vice president. "We feel like that having homeless veterans and veterans in need warrants a standdown. It warrants taking a look at trying to solve the problem as best we can.
"Obviously, we are not solving all of the problems, but we are at least trying to put the right people in right place and make it centrally located so that these folks can make good uses of the services."
The vendors were organizations specifically willing to help and/or established for veterans, specifically veterans in need, said Mrs. Watkins, a Gold Star Spouse, and who is retired from the Air Force.
The event was held last year, but it is the first time the Coalition has sponsored it.
Mrs. Watkins said she had attended last year with other Coalition members to watch and "get a feel" of how the program works since she knew the Coalition was going to take on the project.
Other groups could be brought in next year so the Coalition may look for a new venue next year, she said. It also would be centrally located to the downtown area, she said.
The crowd ebbed and flowed during the event that started at 9 a.m. and ended at 2 p.m.
By 11 a.m. 64 veterans, 30 of whom said they were homeless, or in need, had gone through the event.
Mrs. Watkins agreed with Warnick about the need to serve.
"It never leaves you," she said. "Once you have been in the service you always want to give back to the folks. These are your brothers and sisters that you served with. It is a natural fit. I've got to do something.
"We want to help everybody obviously , but we try to make sure that the homeless get the clothing, the toiletries and kind of get identified."
The event also helps veterans if they need military paperwork to show they served, she said.
"If they don't have a copy, then our intent is to help get them a copy using whatever means that we can, and that is what the Veterans Affairs folks are here for," she said.
Veterans Affairs can also help identify veterans if they need anything for the VA clinic or any of their benefits because there are people who will go their whole life and never be aware of their benefits, Mrs. Watkins said.
The event is held on an annual basis, but the Collation may look at expanding to twice a year, she said.
"We gear this toward the winter months, the cold months, because people are out," she said. "They are sleeping in their car. They are sleeping on the street. We want to make sure that they at least have some warm clothing, bedding, whatever they need to be able to function in the cold.
"We try to identify them and get them into the shelters, obviously. But if that doesn't work, sometimes that is what they prefer. We have to honor that as much as we can."
Veterans who were unable to attend the standdown or who still need help should contact Wayne County Veterans Services, 2001-D E. Ash St.. she said.
Office a hours are Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday by appointments only from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Walk-ins are accepted from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Wednesdays.
The office number is 919-731-1490.