Stand Down to help veterans stand up

By Erin O'Connor

Staff Writer

SPRINGFIELD The Western Massachusetts Stand Down Committee will host the 2006 Stand Down for homeless and needy veterans, veterans, active duty military and their families on September 22 at the Greek Cultural Center located at 6 Plainfield Street from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. The opening ceremony will commence at 8:30 a.m.

"It is a conglomerate of different services being offered for veterans and their spouses that they are in need of," James G. Berrelli Jr. of the Stand Down Committee said to Reminder Publications.

Service providers that have been invited include, but are not limited to, Veterans' Affairs Health Care; Massachusetts Veteran's Services for housing, employment, substance abuse counseling and referral for legal services; Mass achusetts Registry of Motor Vehicles; eye care and hair cut programs.

A West Springfield hair salon will transport individuals to their location on Riverdale Road for free haircuts. A retired dentist, from West Springfield, will perform free dental check-ups. Representatives will be in attendance from a Springfield loan agency to help in obtaining veterans loans, Berrelli said.

Pre-registration forms can be obtained from local Departments of Veterans' Services offices, the Bi-lingual Veterans' Outreach Center located on 281 Franklin Street and the Springfield Veterans' Center located on Main Street.

Since the first Stand Down took place in San Diego, California in 1988, the National Coalition for Homeless Veterans (NCHV) said the program is recognized by many to be the most valuable outreach tool to help homeless veterans in the nation today.

According to United Veterans of America incorporated (UVA), a non-profit corporation located at the Veterans Medical Center in Leeds, on any given night, 275,000 homeless veterans are sleeping on the streets in the United States. One in every three adult male homeless persons is a veteran.

"Stand Down" is the term that was used in Vietnam when the troops were brought in from the battlefield to rest and recuperate and prepare to go back to combat. If any further information is needed or a provider wishes to participate, call the Springfield Veterans' Center at 737-5167, the Bi-Lingual Veterans' Center at 731-0194 or the West Springfield Veterans' Center at 263-3019.

The Stand Down Committee is formed through numerous organizations in the region that extend from Agawam to Pittsfield. The members of the board include Gumersindo Gomez, the executive director of the Springfield Bi-lingual Veteran's Outreach Center, who serves as chairman; Berrelli; Bob Sweeney of the West Springfield Veteran's Service Center; and Steve Conners of the Northampton Veteran's Service Center.