Army veteran proposes July 18 veterans fair at Mid‑America Veterans Museum to boost services and awareness

Heidi Knapsack, an Army veteran and member of the veteran fitness group ReEmerge, asked the O'Fallon Veterans Commission on June 15 to help promote a veterans resource fair at the Mid‑America Veterans Museum on Saturday, July 18, from 9 a.m. to noon.

Knapsack told commissioners the museum receives little public attention and the fair would serve two goals: connect veterans to benefit providers and increase awareness of the museum, which operates largely on donations and volunteers. "I feel a way to enrich our veteran community is if organizations are aware of each other," she said, adding that volunteers and small donations support both ReEmerge and the museum.

Commissioners pressed Knapsack for logistics and outreach plans. She said she had contacted roughly 32 groups and had positive responses from about 15 organizations including ReEmerge, Jeeps for Heroes, Marine Corps League, American Legion Post 313, Sisters in Service, Vietnam Veterans of America (St. Charles County chapter), Welcome Home Heroes, Heroes on the Water, River Runner, Life Waters, AmVets Post 106, the Missouri Wing of the Commemorative Air Force and several American Legion and VFW posts. She told the commission the event would be informal—tables on the museum grounds, volunteers helping setup, and a small footprint relying on partner organizations to staff information tables.

Commissioners and other attendees suggested practical outreach and support: inviting VA service officers, contacting the Missouri Veterans Commission in Jefferson City to request printed materials or swag, coordinating with the Elks and local auxiliaries for refreshments, and recruiting scouts or high‑school National Honor Society students to help with setup. The commission also offered to circulate the organizer's contact information and distribute flyers among member organizations.

Knapsack described ReEmerge as a veteran‑focused fitness and mental‑health program that began as a nine‑week course and now provides ongoing workouts, nutrition guidance and peer support under a clinician intake process; she said approximately 68 people belong to the group, with 40–45 regular attendees. She said ReEmerge will collaborate on the fair and that she would return to the commission with a fuller presentation, potentially bringing a director or gym owner to describe volunteer and referral opportunities.

The commission did not take formal action but agreed to follow up and help publicize the fair. Knapsack left printed flyers and offered to email materials for distribution to commission members and partner organizations. The commission scheduled future contact to coordinate museum participation in Fourth of July planning and other outreach efforts.