Over 200 Veterans Served at Veterans Day Contactless Drive-Up Resources Fair

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Written by Jill Geoffrey

The Marathon County Veterans Service Office held a contactless drive-up Veterans Resources Fair on Veterans Day, November 11, 2020, at 212 River Drive, Wausau. Veterans were provided with health and resource bags including an American flag mask, hand-sanitizer, glasses cleaning/repair kits, pins, stress ball, toothbrush and toothpaste, and over 20 agency and business brochures about programs and services available to Veterans.

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A sampling of the resource bags given out at the 2020 Veterans Resources Fair. (Photo courtesy of Mike Heilmann.)

Over 200 Veterans received a resource bag and the opportunity to be recognized on Veterans Day with a “thank you” from fellow Veterans.

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Veterans from Patriots for Warriors volunteered at the Resource Fair assisting with traffic direction and other tasks. Patriots for Warriors volunteers help build ramps and perform work at Veterans homes that they can no longer do. (Photo courtesy of Mike Heilmann.)

A Safe Workaround to Honor Our Local Veterans on Veterans Day

Rather than canceling the Veterans Day celebration due to the pandemic, the Marathon County Veterans Service Office created a safe way to organize a contactless drive-up event that maintained social distancing. The Resource Fair was sponsored by United Healthcare, which provided staff members to help fill the bags and also provided $500 checks to Patriot K9s of Wisconsin, Man of Honor Society of Marathon County, and Patriots for Warriors.

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Mayor Katie Rosenberg (far left) poses with several veterans and volunteers as a check to Patriots for Warriors was presented from United Healthcare at the Veterans Resource Fair. (Photo courtesy of Mike Heilmann.)

The money will assist these organizations to continue to provide valuable assistance to Veterans in Marathon County such as wheelchairs, home adaption for disabled Veterans, the use of service dogs, and much more.

Special thanks to Marathon County Administrator Lance Leonhard and City of Wausau Mayor Katie Rosenberg for their appearance and recognition of local Veterans, as well Mike Heilmann for taking pictures. We couldn’t have done it without volunteers from Patriots for Warriors for their help directing traffic and to Marathon County Veterans Service Coordinator Mary Dunn, for her 20+ years of service work with area Veterans, as well as Debbie Zastrow and Jon Lanctin from Representative Tiffany’s office for braving the cold weather to hand out bags, free books, pins, gun locks, and to say thank you to each and every Veteran participant for their service to our great nation. It was our pleasure to hear stories, provide information about resources, answer questions, and generate smiles throughout the day.

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Maggie, a 2-year-old springer spaniel, joined the Veterans Day event as she is a pet therapy dog in service to Veterans. (Photo courtesy of Mike Heilmann.)

What does the Veterans Service Office Do?

The Marathon County Veterans Service Office strives to provide the best support to our Marathon County Veterans and their families. The office provides information about State and Federal benefits that they are eligible to receive, raises the profile of Veterans issues within the community, and educates the public on the contributions and benefits of Veterans alongside service organizations and community leaders.

The Veterans Service Office assists eligible Veterans and their dependents in applying for a wide range of benefits and services, such as loans, death and burial benefits, education, retraining grants, military records, pension and compensation, healthcare needs, and more. The accredited staff provides knowledgeable assistance navigating forms, applying for benefits, submitting paperwork to the Veterans Administration, and assisting with information about programs and services available to Veterans.

My staff and I welcome the opportunity to answer questions you may have. We’re delighted to serve as advocates on Veterans-related issues.

Jill_Geoffroy

Jill Geoffroy

Veterans Service Officer  |  Marathon County

With over 20 years as a State of Wisconsin employee, Jill Geoffroy has worked for the Department of Veterans Affairs and Department of Transportation. Her most recent position was as the Adjutant (Institution Manager Services Director) at the Wisconsin Veterans Home in King, WI. She received her commission in the U.S. Army in 1991 and retired at the rank of Major in 2013. Throughout her military career, she served in various positions, including Aeromedical Evacuation Pilot, Platoon Leader, Unit Commander, Safety Officer, and Aviation Liaison Officer.

She holds a Bachelor’s degree from UW-La Crosse and a Master’s degree in Management from Cardinal Stritch University. She is married to her husband, Alan, who has over 30 years of service in the U.S. Army. He is the Aircraft Mechanic Supervisor at the Wisconsin Army Aviation Support Facility in West Bend, WI. Combined, they have 4 children and 2 grandchildren. Jill and Alan are very active and enjoy hunting, hiking, and training their two dogs. They live in Eagle River on the chain of lakes and enjoy spending weekends with family and friends boating, fishing, and kayaking. Email Jill Geoffroy

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