All Greene County military veterans are invited to take part on Saturday, Sept. 29, in a “Veterans Health and Education Fair” in the Expo Building at the Greene County Fairgrounds.
The free event is being sponsored by Laughlin Memorial Hospital; the Laughlin Memorial Hospital Foundation’s Blanche Grady Service Award; Sandra Ricker, the 2006 recipient of the Blanche Grady Service Award; and the Scott Niswonger family, benefactors of the annual community service award.
Noah Roark, Laughlin Memorial Hospital’s director of human resources and marketing, said this week that the Veterans Health and Education Fair will be held from 8 a.m. until 3 p.m. on Sept. 29.
He noted that Ricker designated the $5,000 Blanche Grady award she received for use in helping local veterans.
“This is the first concentrated effort to provide the veterans of this community with health screenings and educational information about veterans benefits,” Roark said.
Call to Register
He noted that anyone who is currently serving in the U.S. military or who has ever served in the military is welcome to attend the Veterans Health and Education Fair.
However, those who plan to attend are asked to register in advance by calling 787-5117. Roark said estimates are that there are 7,000 to 8,000 military veterans currently living in Greeneville and Greene County.
He noted that Laughlin Memorial Hospital staffers will be on hand during the Health and Education Fair to conduct a variety of free health screening tests.
Those who do not wish to have the medical tests performed on-site can pick up paper work to have the health-screening tests performed on an outpatient basis later at Laughlin Memorial Hospital.
He noted that the total value of the health screening tests to be offered at the fair is estimated at about $265 per person.
The screenings will include everything from blood pressure and blood sugar checks to hearing and vision exams.
Also, he noted, the fair will include free evaluations by personnel from the James H. Quillen Veterans Affairs Medical Center’s Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder clinic for those who desire to be evaluated.
Veterans Benefits Information
In addition to the medical screening tests, the Veterans Health and Education Fair will feature information on veterans benefits, with each veteran attending receiving a free copy of the 2007 edition of “Federal Benefits for Veterans and Dependents.”
In addition, the event will feature some 23 informational booths provided by organizations including the Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Mountain States Health Alliance, the Boys & Girls Club of Greeneville & Greene County, VFW Post 1990, American Legion Post 64, the Greene County Veterans Service Office, the Disabled American Veterans (DAV), Rolling Thunder, the Retired Enlisted Association, the Marine Corps League, the Tennessee State Guard and the YMCA.
The Greeneville High School Band also will be on hand to play military and patriotic music during the event, and C&C Millwright Maintenance Co. will have a giant crane on hand with a huge American flag suspended from it.
In addition, Roark said, representatives from Gov. Phil Bredesen’s office and Tennessee Commissioner of Veterans Affairs John A. Keys will take part.
