The North Iowa Southern Minnesota Veterans Stand Down will be holding Operation Golden Hawk Saturday in Mason City.
Organizer Peter Bieber says the Stand Down program got its start in California. “So we started to stand down to basically bring as many community resources together in one place at one time to maximize the number of benefits and services that could provide those veterans,” Bieber says.
The hope is to help the veterans who are looking for assistance and give them a second chance.
“We’ll be focusing on housing insecurity food insecurity clothing insecurity employment financial insecurity physical health, mental health, and the alcohol and substance abuse services,” he says.
The event is for all veterans in the area. “We’re focusing on about nine counties in Iowa and three in Minnesota but you know any veteran from anywhere that comes into the event they need something you know we’re gonna do whatever we can help them out,” according to Bieber.
The Stand Down will be at the North Iowa Event Center with the opening ceremony at 9 a.m. and the closing ceremony at 5 p.m. The event is free and open to all veterans.
(By A. J. Taylor, KIOW, Forest City)