Vietnam veteran Mike Munsch, left, gets a free haircut from Elevation Salon and Spa hairstylist Angela Booher at Goodwill Industries’ Veteran Stand Down at the Warsaw Municipal Airport on Friday, June 30. Along with a haircut, veterans could get a free meal and help with medical care, insurance and more.

Text and Photos
By Leah Sander
InkFreeNews

WARSAW — Veterans were treated to a free meal, haircuts, help with medical benefits and more at a Warsaw event on Friday, June 30.

For the third year in a row, a veteran stand down was held at the Warsaw Municipal Airport put on by Goodwill Industries.

A number of organizations and businesses staffed informational booths for veterans to get assistance. They included: the VA Northern Indiana Healthcare System; Allison and Associates Insurance; American Red Cross Service to the Armed Forces; Anthem; ASPIN; CANI-Brightpoint; CareSource; Center for Hospice Care; U.S. Rep. Rudy Yakym’s office; U.S. Sen. Mike Braun’s office; Grand Canyon University; Humana Insurance; Live Well Kosciusko/BreatheWell Kosciusko; the Kosciusko County Veterans Service Office; Military Assistance Project, Indiana Legal Services Inc.; PNC Bank; REAL Services; SEEK HIM Ministry; Senior Transitions of Indiana; Shaves and Fades; State Health Insurance Program; St. Joseph Valley Blue Star Mothers; True Top 1% Foundation; and Wooded Glen Recovery Center.

People could also get food, shoes and other items.

At the start of the event, an opening ceremony was held. The Warsaw Community High School JROTC presented the colors and quartet 4 O’Clock Shadow sang the National Anthem.

A flyover was supposed to occur during the ceremony, but was unable to due to smoke from the Canadian wildfires preventing the Hooligans Flight Team from coming from Chicago, Ill.

At the end of the ceremony, Zimmer Biomet through its foundation and Veterans Resource Group gave Goodwill $2,000 to help veterans and their families.

Before the ceremony, Goodwill Industries of Michiana Veterans Resource Network Program Manager Jill Powers shared why the organization opted to host another stand down in Kosciusko County.

“We keep doing this because veterans are in need of things and it’s a good way to get everything in one spot at least once a year for them to get connected to the VA or other resources in the community, and then throughout the year we’re here to help them get whatever else they need,” said Powers.

“We love giving back,” said Warsaw Municipal Airport Manager Nick King of why the airport continued to allow the stand down to occur there. “At the airport, we have several veterans on staff. My dad and grandpa were both veterans as well … It’s a great event. We love supporting it.”

Kosciusko County Veteran Service Officer Darryl McDowell said the stand down allows veterans to interact with counterparts they’ve never met before.

“It gives them a chance to talk and to learn about what new benefits are out there,” he added. “It’s a great social event as well as (helping) them (with) services.”

Present at the event was VA Northern Indiana Healthcare System Interim Associate Director Stephen Sheets.

He said the VA is “exploring putting a community-based outpatient clinic here in the Warsaw area hopefully in the next few years.”

“We’re getting ready at the end of July (to open) up a clinic in Huntington,” said Sheets.

People check out various resources at the event.

The Warsaw Community High School JROTC presented the colors during a small ceremony at the start of the event.

Local barbershop quartet 4 O’Clock Shadow performed the National Anthem.

Zimmer Biomet through its foundation and Veterans Resource Group gave $2,000 to Goodwill to help veterans and their families. From left: ZB HR Senior Director and VRG Chair Matt Linville, Goodwill Industries of Michiana Veterans Resource Network Program Manager Jill Powers and ZB HR Manager and VRG Vice Chair Dale Campbell.

Members of ZB’s VRG pose with the check. From left: ZB Machinist and VRG member Jason Hanes, ZB Facilities Electrician and VRG member Scott Enders, ZB Sports Medicine Manufacturing Team Lead and VRG member Melissa Lewis, ZB EHS Manager and VRG Team Member Pillar Lead James White, ZB Regulatory Affairs Project Manager and VRG Co-Pillar Lead Molly Fishel, ZB HR Senior Director and VRG Chair Matt Linville, ZB Manufacturing Engineer and VRG member Dan Lewark, ZB Quality Control Supervisor and VRG member Bill Torzon and ZB HR Manager and VRG Vice Chair Dale Campbell. Not pictured is ZB Regulatory Affairs Associate Erin Lawhon.