Benefits fair seeks to aid veterans with multiple needs

TEXARKANA, Ark. — Assuring local military veterans get the medical and financial help they need are ongoing efforts for the Texarkana Area Veterans Council — and more help may be on the way.

The council on Saturday held the second of what is planned to be four quarterly veterans medical and monetary aid benefit fairs this year. The events are aimed at securing assistance for veterans to receive health care at the Veterans Affairs hospital in Shreveport.

Texarkana Arkansas’s Post #4562 Veterans of Foreign War Post 4562 hosted the four-hour fair, where veterans also could apply for transportation to Shreveport and even to the VA hospital in Little Rock, Post Commander Peter Auty said.

“We held a more recent fair earlier this year at the Elks’ Lodge, and we are planning to hold another fair later this summer once we decide on a meeting place,”Auty said. “We want to do this to improve the chances of helping our veterans, and it was the TAVC that came up with this idea.”

The TAVC comprises six local veterans organizations.

Presently, the two American Legion groups in the Twin Cities have three transport vans that volunteer drivers use to take local veterans to Shreveport twice a week for medical visits, Auty added.

“Right now we have two volunteer van drivers, but we need more volunteer drivers to help us make at least five trips down to Shreveport each week,” he said.

Volunteers drivers need a valid driver’s license and a clean driving record, Auty said.

Besides providing medical transportation, Auty said the fairs are also trying to raise money for a local Veterans Relief Fund.

“We’ve been able to help a local veteran needing finance for a car repair, and we can also do this for veterans needing groceries or any other necessities, especially when they don’t have any other options,” Auty said.

TAVC Chairman Robert Hernandez said the aid benefit fairs also help the council to assess veterans’ needs.

“We can now be able to help veterans, not only with medical needs but also general service needs,” he said.

Staff Photo Vietnam Veterans of America Chapter #278 President Greg Beck waits to distribute Veterans Administration information to local veterans as they stopped by the Veterans of Foreign Wars Post #4562 during a four-hour Veterans Benefit Fair, held at the post Saturday. Two more fairs could be scheduled before the end of this year.