SIDNEY — The mission of the Shelby County Veteran Service Commission is to provide eligible veterans and their families with the benefits to which they may be entitled to under federal, state, and local law, in accordance with established policies and procedures.

Chris North, executive director, has submitted the following report:

The Shelby County Veteran Service Commission provided temporary financial assistance to those veterans or their dependents who have demonstrated a financial need due to illness, injury, lack of employment, or an unexpected hardship.

Our Shelby County Veteran Service Commission board consist of five community members from different veteran organizations throughout Shelby County. They are President Zack Bosslet, Vice President Judy Johnson, Secretary Duane Mullen, and members, Richard Snider and Ron Leininger. This year came with changes to our staff also. Our new team member is Amanda Rampulla. She served nine years in the US Navy from 2004 – 2013. She is currently training to become a Veteran Service Officer. Stop by and welcome her to the team.

In 2023 we provided 353 veterans/dependents/widows with $139,495.81 in financial relief to include, rent, mortgage, food orders, utilities and much more. We also provided 449 veterans transportation to and from VA appointments and Community Care appointments. We provide them curbside service for every appointment. We added a new 2023 Ram Promaster that can transport a combination of different needs to include up to four wheelchairs at one time. Our food pantry was officially made into a non-profit organization so that we could help the needs of more veterans and their dependents. The Veteran Food Pantry is overseen by five board members, all from the Shelby County community. In 2023, our pantry serviced the needs of over 300 veterans and their dependents. We are looking forward to helping this program grow in 2024.

Our office submitted over 1,000 forms to Veterans Affairs to assist veterans/widows/dependents with healthcare, disability, grave markers, non-service-connected pension, survivors’ pension, burial benefits, education, vocational rehab and employment, homes loans, life insurance and

DD-214’s (discharge papers).

This year we invested $60,000 on outreach. Outreach programs included, commercials, ads in the Sidney Daily News, ads on Facebook, benefit workshops, Christmas hams (250), program and giveaways at the Veterans Day at the Shelby County Fair and so much more.

Our Silent Watch this year was humbling to all our guests and those who stood watch. The event is a way to bring awareness to veteran suicide and is an annual event we do every September. If this is something you would love to be involved in, please reach out to us in September 2024.

2023 we kicked off our second year of Hometown Heroes Banner Program. We were able to honor over 250 veterans on numerous light poles throughout Custenboarder Park. We are currently taking applications for the 2024 program. We are creating a committee of community minded individuals that are going to help us make this program more of a success.

In closing, we look forward to helping more veterans get connected to the benefits they’ve earned. Help us help them by reaching out to all the veteran you know and letting them know we are here to help them. “Vets Helping Vets!”