The Annual Polk County Veterans Benefit Fair will take place on Friday, April 19, from 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. at the Crookston National Guard Armory.
This event is intended for veterans and their families who reside in Polk County, where they can receive information regarding health insurance, suicide prevention services, assisted living options, and much more. During the event, attendees will see over twenty tables set up and occupied by vendors.
The vendors will include- Beyond the Yellow Ribbon, Chapter 14 DAV Post, Auxiliary and DAV Transport, County Veteran Service Officers, Crookston VFW/American Legion Post and Auxiliary, Minnesota DNR, Fargo VA, Veterans Nursing Homes, Wounded Warrior Guide Service, American Legion Regional Office, MDVA Education, North Dakota Job Services, Tri-Valley Opportunity Council, VA Justice Outreach, USDA, Good American Society, and the Regional Veteran Center.
Polk County Veterans Affairs Director Kurt Ellefson explained that over the years, one of the most popular vendors at the fair is the Honor Flight, which offers a yearly raffle drawing. “I think the most popular vendor tends to be the Honor Flight Table,” said Ellefson, “Because of their raffle, which has a lot of different items like guns and ATVs. They have a pretty good selection of raffle items.” The Honor Flight is an organization that selects local veterans from Minnesota and North Dakota to go on a flight to Washington, D.C., yearly.
The Wounded Warrior Guide Service will attend the Polk County Veterans Benefit Fair for the first time in events history. This organization provides fishing and hunting opportunities for veterans, and Ellefson predicts that it could also be a popular table to attend.
There are still open slots for vendors to participate in this event. Entities interested in being a vendor for the Polk County Veterans Benefit Fair contact the Polk County Veterans Services Office at 218-281-3066.
Ellefson encourages all veterans in the area to attend this event, even if they have attended in years past because veterans can learn about new options and services each year. “It’s a great event for veterans and their families, and veteran’s advocates to learn about new benefits,” said Ellefson, “Or to learn about things they didn’t know about. Thousands of non-profit organizations are out there that provide veterans benefits.”
