The 2021 Delta Veterans Stand Down will once again take place in a drive-thru setting this weekend due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.
Set to run from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., or until all supplies have been distributed, Saturday, Sept. 11, the event will take place at the Washington County Convention Center, 1040 S. Raceway Road.
Gulf Coast Veterans Advocacy Council (GCVAC) co-chairman Kenny Magee has always described Veterans Stand Down as a “one-stop-shop” for veterans.
The event, as in years past, is being hosted by the GCVAC in partnership with the Washington County Board of Supervisors.
The Gulf Coast Veterans Advocacy Council, which covers Florida, Alabama and Mississippi, is an all-volunteer group formed to help veterans connect with the resources available to them, Magee said.
“Veterans, please come out and be recognized for your honorable service to our country,” Kenny Magee said. “We want you all to be proud of your service.”
In lieu of veterans going around to different vendors and picking up supplies as they have in previous years, items will already be prepared and handed to them when they drive through.
Proof of service has to be verified in order to receive veteran-specific items, so veterans are asked to bring their ID and a copy of their DD214 form, said Mississippi State Director Tabbatha Magee.
This event is open to the community for those wanting to receive COVID-19 testing, COVID-19 shots, masks, household goods and food.
“We will distribute benefit and resource information, groceries, administer COVID-19 vaccinations and tests, masks, and household supplies,” Tabbatha Magee said.
COVID testing and shots will be done through the help of Delta Health Systems and masks are being provided by Vessels of Mercy, Sacred Heart and Pilgrim Rest churches.
Because the event is taking place on the anniversary of 9/11, Tabbatha Magee said, “This year’s event is to represent a National Day of Service in remembrance of the events of 9/11.”
For those who still have questions regarding the event, call Tabbatha Magee at 662-822-3745, Kenny Magee at 662-820-1664 or James Standifer at 662-402-0114.
