Veterans organizations from across Lewis County and beyond will come together for what’s being called the Lewis County Veterans Summit on the morning of Sept. 21 at the Lewis County Veterans Museum in Chehalis.
The event is being put on by the Lewis County Veterans Advisory Board and the county Department of Public Health. Representatives from local, state and federal agencies will be on hand to make presentations and hear from area veterans about the available services they use and what coverage areas they would like to see improved.
Lewis County Veterans Services worker George Dodd is among those spearheading the effort to reach out to the approximately 8,500 veterans who live in the county. The event is open to the public and free to attend,
“It’s an information gathering session for us as well as the for the veterans,” Dodd said. “We want to get information from them on where our services are lacking. We want to see if we can fill those voids.”
The summit is scheduled to begin at 9 a.m. with a presentation by representatives of the Washington State Department of Veterans Affairs that will go over the services they provide, how to qualify and how to benefit from those programs. A number of vendor booths will be set up to answer questions and receive feedback from veterans on items such as financial assistance, medical treatment and emergency aid.
Dodd said he’s working to secure a commitment from the federal Veterans Affairs to send someone from their offices in Tacoma and Seattle, but that they’re often reluctant to attend community events because they get asked about a lot of individual claim issues rather than broader topics.
State Rep. Ed Orcutt (R-Kalama) will be in attendance. Dena Horton, the Southwest Washington Outreach Director for U.S. Sen. Maria Cantwell is expected to attend as is Cory Doane, who works in the Vancouver office of Rep. Jaime Herrera-Beutler (R-Battle Ground).
Orcutt pointed to tax breaks veterans can get through the state for items such as durable medical equipment and, in some cases, property tax relief as ways in which the state tries to help veterans improve their day-to-day lives.
“I’m going (to the summit) in order to listen to what the concerns of the veterans are,” Orcutt said. “I’ve heard concerns over the years about various things, a lot of which sound more like they’re along the federal lines. I’m not going to pre-judge anything until I hear their concerns at the summit.”
Dodd’s overarching goal for the summit isn’t just to identify ways in which to improve veterans services in Lewis County. He wants to make sure veterans know what’s already available to them and that they and their families should reach out on a proactive basis.
“In order for any agency to help them out, we need someone to speak up for them whether it’s them their children, or a service provider,” Dodd said. “We need someone to say ‘hey, we have this veteran who needs something.’ We find that a lot of times they don’t speak up because it’s a pride thing. They think they can handle it, and by the time we get to them, it’s too late.”
