The John J. Pershing VA Medical Center will host a VetFest event Oct. 5 at its main Poplar Bluff campus, located at 1500 N. Westwood Blvd.
The VetFest will kick off at 10 a.m. and conclude at 2 p.m. Music, games and fun for all ages are planned, and all veterans, their families and survivors, and caregivers are invited to attend. Food will be available for purchase on site; however, there is no cost for the event.
“We hope area veterans and their families will join us for this great event,” said Interim Medical Center Director James Warren. “We have a big day planned, and we hope to provide Veterans with all the information they need to navigate the VA health care system.”
Informational outreach booths covering a variety of VA programs and services like Home Telehealth, Caregiver Support, the Volunteer Transportation Network, Enrollment and Eligibility, My HealtheVet, the Women Veterans Program and others will be available, and representatives from local Veteran Service Organizations will be on hand. Additionally, staff from VA’s Fisher House will be on site to discuss the important role that program plays for traveling Veterans and their families.
Veterans with questions about VA health care and services will be able to talk with subject-matter experts and get the answers they need, plus, if they are eligible, they will be able to register for care on site.
Veterans also will have the opportunity to get their blood pressure checked and get updated flu vaccinations. VA nurses also will provide information about FIT tests, which are used as a first-step screening for colorectal cancer.
Visitors are encouraged to check out the classic car show, talent show and other displays, and their children can take part in the face painting, craft booths and other fun activities.
“We want veterans to get the most out of their VA health care, and for those who are not registered, we want to show them what it is all about,” said Warren. “We hope all area veterans will stop by, have some fun, and see what VA can do for them.”
For more information about this event or the programs and services offered at the John J. Pershing VA Medical Center, or its outpatient clinics in southeast Missouri and northeast Arkansas, call 573-686-4151 or go online to www.va.gov/poplar-bluff-health-care/