(LaPorte, IN) - A benefit for veterans took place at the LaPorte County Fairgrounds Friday night.

 

Goodwill’s Veterans Resource Network hosted what they call a Stand Down. It’s an event aimed at assisting military veterans. It could be job placement, health assistance, other social services, or just a warm meal.

 

Jill Powers organized the event for Goodwill. She oversees similar events in three other counties, and this is the fourth year for the event in LaPorte. "We brought the Stand Down concept over to LaPorte because there's just not a lot of veterans' services, as far as VA and clinics and things like that," she said. "So this is our opportunity to get veterans' services into one location, [meet] our vets where they are, and get them connected to things that they may need or not know is out there available to them." Powers said that after meeting vets at the Stand Down, she could follow up with them individually.

 

Shayna Kinney, who owns the Clipper Coach Barber Shop in New Carlisle, was set up at Friday's event, giving veterans free haircuts. "My husband's a veteran, and my father-in-law, my father, my brother. And I thought, why not?" she said. "People are just so grateful that I came out and did it; it's very heartwarming."

 

Nearly 150 veterans were served at Friday night's Stand Down.