POPLAR BLUFF — The John J. Pershing VA Medical Center will host VetFest on Saturday at its main campus, 1500 N. Westwood Blvd. The event will run from 9 a.m. to noon with music, games and activities for all ages. All veterans, their families, survivors and caregivers are invited. Food will be available for purchase, but admission is free.
“VetFest will be a great event for our local veterans, families and caregivers. We hope all will join us,” said Interim Medical Center Director Fabian Grabski. “It will be a fun and relaxed atmosphere full of activities. At the same time, we will provide as much information as we can to help veterans navigate the VA health care system and better understand the services they may qualify for.”
Informational booths will cover VA programs and services, including Home Telehealth, Whole Health, Suicide Prevention, Chaplain Services, Enrollment and Eligibility, My HealtheVet, and the Women Veterans Program. Representatives from local veteran service organizations will also be present. Staff from the VA’s Fisher House will share information about the program’s role in supporting traveling veterans and their families.
Veterans with questions about VA health care can speak directly with subject-matter experts and, if eligible, register for care on site. Free health services will include blood pressure checks and flu vaccinations. VA nurses will also provide information on FIT tests, a first-step screening tool for colorectal cancer. Visitors can enjoy a car display, dunking booth, live music, face painting for children and even a chance to meet mini Highland cows.
“We encourage all area veterans to stop by, have some fun and see what VA offers. This is what they’ve earned, and we want them to make the most of it,” Grabski said. For more information about VetFest or services offered at the John J. Pershing VA Medical Center and its outpatient clinics in southeast Missouri and northeast Arkansas, call 573-686-4151 or visit www.va.gov/poplar-bluff-healthcare/.
