Veterans fair coming to Nevada on October 24

Two local groups that provide help for veterans are partnering together to present a veteran's fair Saturday, Oct. 24, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. The Nevada Elks Lodge and the Ladies Auxiliary of the Veterans of Foreign Wars have invited representatives from national and state government, health care providers and veterans service organizations to the event.

The fair will feature free health screenings for cholesterol, blood pressure, bone density and glucose.

"It's all for veterans and it's all free," Darlene Tweten, spearheading the effort for the ladies auxiliary said. "We've invited area hospitals to it. Nevada is doing the bone density screening."

It's not a new idea, but it has taken some time to bring it to Nevada.

"The last one of these I helped with was in Joplin," Tweten said. "We've wanted to do one here for awhile but it hasn't been easy getting things started."

Dr. Jason Meisenheimer, Nevada Elks Exalted Ruler, said that one reason the groups were joining together was to have a bigger impact than they could separately.

"All the organizations are doing a good job, but if we band together we can have a broader impact," Meisenheimer said. "We realize that rather than duplicate efforts we can share resources and accomplish much more."

The two aren't sure how many veterans will attend but hope for a large group.

"We hope to have several hundred," Tweten said. "We're sending letters to all the Elks lodges and VFW halls in the four-county area."

"I don't know how many will come," Meisenheimer said. "But if we help just one it will be a success."

For further information contact: Jason Meisenheimer, (417) 667-3699; Darlene Tweten, (417) 667-6334; or Dan Righter, (417) 448-4255