MONTOUR COUNTY, Pa. — Dozens of veterans trickle into the Danville Area Community Center in Mahoning Township for the center's Veterans Community Day. The program is part of the center's Veterans Thrive initiative.
"The federal VA is here, the state Veterans Affairs office is here, and the county VA office is here, so it's sort of a one-stop shop if you want anything. A lot of veterans around here don't sign up for things to which they are entitled if they said yes," said Mark Giesen, director of community engagement at Danville Area Community Center.
Veterans like Lisa Starr from Riverside came out to see what services were available. Starr served in the Army and National Guard.
"I know some veterans that maybe hurting, and there's stuff here or help here that can make them—their life a lot more easy or a lot easier," said Lisa Starr Riverside.
The Columbia-Montour Chapter of Trout Unlimited was one of 15 vendors at Veterans Community Day. The organization teaches vets to tie flies for fishing and takes them on fishing trips.
"It's almost a therapeutic way to get your mind off of whatever else is going on in your life, and you really have to focus in to do this well and learn how to do it," said Erick Lewis, Columbia-Montour Chapter of Trout Unlimited president.
This is the first year for the Veterans Community Day event. Mark Giesen, the director of community engagement at the Danville Area Community Center, wanted to give veterans a helping hand.
"Or likewise, some of these other programs here like Home Instead is here, and that's a service that would help an individual with homecare in their home as they get a little bit older that would help them with that," said Giesen.
The Danville Area Community Center will hold another Veterans Community Day on the first Friday of November in 2025.