Vet2Vet Community Day in Cairo

By Jesse Angelino

CAIRO — On September 13th, Greene County Vet2Vet hosted its second annual Community Day at Angelo Canna Town Park in Cairo. The event, which kicked off at 11 AM and ran until 4 PM, featured a range of free activities, including face painting, ax throwing, a children's bounce house, prize giveaways, a Cornhole tournament, live music by "The Lost Cowboys" band, and a barbecue buffet donated by Ginsberg's Foods and prepared by the Catskill Elks Club.

The event aims to bring the community together to honor local veterans and their families. According to Arin VanderMark, Deputy Director for Veterans Services and Program Manager for the Community Day, "We want our vets to have access to as many resources as we can, including suicide prevention, housing, food, and community events like this one." A raffle & t-shirts was also available for purchase, with all proceeds going towards a scholarship for children of veterans who are high school seniors.

The event has seen a bigger turnout this year, thanks to the support of sponsors and the community. Amanda Lyons, Executive Director for Greene County Human Services, expressed gratitude to all involved, saying, "We are really grateful to all of our sponsors who helped fund all of this, and we have seen a bigger turnout this year." The event was initially held last September as a way for local residents to connect with veterans in a fun environment outside.

Greene County Vet2Vet is a peer support initiative designed to assist veterans and their families in Greene County, NY. The program provides confidential, non-clinical support, advocacy, and community connection, and is funded through the PFC Joseph P. Dwyer Program named for the Iraq war veteran who served as a combat medic, joining the military after the events of 9/11.