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Veterans Service Agency reports outreach events, cemetery improvements and service updates
Summary
Orange County Veterans Service Agency reported staff training, popular free veterans movie screenings, a ShopRite donation scheduled April 8 for the county veterans food pantry, cemetery facelift plans including flag replacement, and community events including an annual veterans picnic May 3 at Thomasville Memorial Park.
Christian Ferrell, director of the Orange County Veterans Service Agency, briefed the Human Services Committee on recent outreach, operations and events.
Ferrell said agency staff, including two counselors, are completing biannual training through the American Legion to be certified for veterans claims work. He outlined recent community events and partnerships: a free veterans movie series that drew several hundred veterans for two showings in Monroe, and a ShopRite check presentation scheduled for April 8 to benefit the Orange County Veterans Food Pantry; Ferrell said the donation amount was not yet known and historically has been "in the 6 figures." He also noted the agency’s annual veterans picnic and resource fair is scheduled for Saturday, May 3, at Thomasville Memorial Park from 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.
On cemetery operations, Ferrell and cemetery staff reported ongoing maintenance and improvements. Staff said the cemetery building—originally modular and more than 25 years old—is receiving a facelift, and crews plan to replace aging flagpoles and reduce the number of flags while using heavier-duty poles. Cemetery staff said some flag replacements will be staged this year and the driveway flags planned for next year; one staff member said the flag project would be on track for completion by Memorial Day.
Ferrell described burial activity so far this year, including two World War II burials (one a Navy veteran who died two days after his 100th birthday) and a double Purple Heart Vietnam veteran. He also noted ShopRite’s food-pantry support and the agency’s efforts to distribute farmers-market vouchers under the state-run Fresh Connect program: vouchers are usually $50 each, and Ferrell said the county had received $5,000 worth of vouchers so far and that demand exceeds supply for the county’s roughly 17,000 veterans.
Ferrell said a planned VA town hall at SUNY Orange was put on hold because of staffing changes at the VA, and he said he maintained contact with a Castle Point representative who reported limited personnel changes but no broad service cuts so far.
The presentation contained no formal committee action; committee members thanked staff and discussed possible expansion of movie screenings to additional locations.
