EASTHAMPTON — The Easthampton Veteran Coalition for Veteran Wellness will host its second annual family Summer Vet Fest at Nonotuck Park Sunday, July 27 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
The day will feature food, activities and games for families, as well as information for the military veteran family community. The event will be hosted at Pavilion 3 at Nonotuck Park.
Organized by the Easthampton Coalition for Veteran Wellness in partnership with Operation Veteran Vacation, and with the support of local community sponsors and stakeholders, the event is free to any U.S. military member or veteran of U.S. military service and their guests to include family members, children and grandchildren. Entrance to the park to attend the event will be free.
The day of connection, resources and fun aims to bring together the local veteran community and their families from Easthampton and surrounding areas.
“As a veteran myself, I am deeply committed to supporting those who have served, especially those facing challenges in their transition back to civilian life. This event reflects the mission of the Easthampton Coalition for Veteran Wellness: to ensure that veterans and their families are seen, supported and celebrated,” said coalition member Heather Rudolph. “For me, if someone comes and they talk to one person there or one resource, that’s a win.”
The Easthampton Coalition for Veteran Wellness was started in 2023, through a partnership between the city of Easthampton and the VA Medical Center in Leeds, to bring veterans together through community-based support and celebration. Joined by local veterans, businesses and stakeholders, the coalition continues to grow and develop in service of its mission to build connection within the veteran community.
“The mission was to connect vets in the community through whatever means possible. Through the research done at the VA and their suicide prevention initiatives, it was identified that we need to reach vets on a community level if we’re really going to address this problem and the growing population of veterans. They’re just not seeking services, and so we need to go to them,” said Rudolph.
Rudolph added Vet Fest also provides a unique opportunity to try and connect more with younger veterans. A veteran herself, Rudolph said once she found out about the coalition, she felt she had to get involved.
“Now, it’s one of the most meaningful things in my life,” said Rudolph. “It provided me a chance to reconnect with the veteran community that I had kind of been out of for a while having kids in grad school and starting my career and all that. For me, it was very personal to be a part of this and part of my evolving journey. So, I want other veterans who are Iraq, Afghanistan, Bosnia, more of the more current conflicts, I want them to have that opportunity.”
Information on federal veterans affairs, Springfield Vet Center, and state veteran benefits and programs to help veterans and their families will be available. Various city departments and programs, including the Central Hampshire County Veteran Engagement Team, will also be attending to provide information on citywide resources.
Operation Veteran Vacation, a local nonprofit that provides kickboxing, mindfulness classes, and camping and outdoor recreation opportunities for veterans and their families, will be on the grill serving food for the day. Salads and fresh fruit will also be served by members of the Easthampton Fire Department.
Lunch is free, but anyone attending is asked to register in advance at tinyurl.com/wb47z8pp. Registration will assist the coalition with knowing how much food to purchase.
Rudolph added with almost 25 years since 9/11 and the influx of service members at that time, there are many younger veterans of the era who they wish to bridge the gap with and help them identify the resources available to them.
“I think the next three to five years is going to be pretty crucial in outreaching that population,” Rudolph said. “This is a weekend event that invites veteran and military families, as well as friends of those families and our allies in the community, and really anyone else who wants to come and is interested about our mission is welcomed to come.”
Activities for children include various games and arts and crafts. Boomer, the Springfield Thunderbirds mascot, will be making a special appearance and the Thunderbirds will provide a special raffle prize for the day.
Another highlight for the day will include a youth-oriented military-style obstacle course organized by Operation Veteran Vacation and adaptive trike demonstration by All Our Adventures.
Bright Spot Therapy Dogs, a local nonprofit organization, will also be in attendance with information about their programs. Volunteers will be at the event to talk about their various programs, including hospitals, nursing homes, schools, libraries and other facilities where therapy dogs are needed.
There are still opportunities to donate as all proceeds will assist with coalition events throughout the year. To help raise funds for the coalition, there will be a 50/50 raffle and coalition T-shirts for sale.
“If you’re a business or organization looking for a great way to extend your support to the veteran community in Easthampton, this is it,” said Ken Blanchard, treasurer for the coalition.
For donation opportunities or for more information about the Summer Vet Fest, email the coalition at VeteranWellness.Easthampton@gmail.com.
Attendees are recommended to enter Nonotuck Park from Williston Avenue to Lownds Avenue and then turn left at the park entrance at the Park Guard Station. Signs and volunteers will guide visitors to the Pavilion 3 parking area.
The event will not only serve as a way for the Easthampton community to honor veterans, but also bridge the gap between younger and older veterans, and for community leaders to meet veterans and to learn more about military service.
“We’re all there because we want to help and we want these veterans to feel safe and like they got something out of it,” said Rudolph. “Easthampton’s kind of like an up and coming, vibrant community, and there’s just lots of organizations that are siloed that we’re trying to bring together.”
