Connecting with Veterans at the Miami County Fair
The Miami County Fair was a busy week for our team, and we were proud to spend the entire week connecting with veterans, military families, and members of our community at our booth in the Merchant Building.
Throughout the week, we had countless conversations with veterans who stopped by to learn more about Operation Veteran Caregiver Support, our programs, and the resources available to them. We made many new connections—and we’re already seeing the impact of those conversations, with new faces joining us at Muster & Mingle and visiting our Need-Based Military & Veteran Food Pantry.
We also had a little fun with our fellow community partners! Each day, we hid a frog somewhere in the booth of one of our partner organizations throughout the Merchant Building. Fairgoers who found the frog could bring it back to our booth for a chance to win a voucher for a free milkshake from the Dairy Barn. It was a fun way to get people exploring the building, meeting other organizations, and discovering the many resources available in our community.
And we couldn’t have done it without our incredible volunteers. More than 100 volunteer hours went into staffing our booth and helping make the week a success. Their time, energy, and willingness to connect with everyone who stopped by made a tremendous difference.
Community Resource Fair
On Wednesday, we took things a step further by hosting our Community Resource Fair under the Grandstand. More than a dozen community organizations and service providers came together to connect directly with veterans and their families.
The response was overwhelmingly positive. Participating organizations shared that they found the event valuable, and veterans who attended told us they appreciated having so many resources gathered in one place.
Events like the Miami County Fair give us an opportunity to do what we do best: connect veterans with people, programs, and resources that can make a difference in their lives.
We’re grateful to everyone who stopped by our booth, participated in the frog hunt, attended the Resource Fair, volunteered their time, or partnered with us throughout the week. Most of all, we’re excited to see where these new connections lead!