There was something for every veteran during the annual Stand Down event Friday at the Armed Forces Reserve Center in east Vancouver.
The Stand Down is a one-stop shop for veterans and their families in Clark County, with a diverse selection of community resources — including housing assistance, haircuts, veterinary services, job opportunities, clothing and lunch.
The Clark County Veterans Assistance Center Clark County has hosted the Stand Down event since 2009. This year, about 200 veterans attended.
The center arranged for vans to pick up veterans from locations across Clark County so transportation wouldn’t be a barrier to attending.
Lori Pugh, the center’s president, said that each year, the agency tries to make the event bigger to engage more veterans.
“At this place, we try to let everyone know that we’ve got something for everyone,” Pugh said.
“Stand down” is a military term that means to relax after being alert and on duty. During war, troops who needed rest would leave the battlefield to secure a base camp area, where they could rest, eat and take care of themselves.
Now, Stand Down refers to events where veterans can relax and receive the services they need.
While the Stand Down event has seen a bit of a dropoff in attendees since the COVID-19 pandemic, the number of community participants continues to grow.
“We always have new people and partners who want to come and help out,” Pugh said.
Community resources in attendance included C-Tran, the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Work Source, the Christian Motorcyclists Association and Council for the Homeless.
The event included mental health assistance, too, a much-needed resource for veterans. According to the National Institutes of Health, 41 percent of veterans have a potential need for mental health care.
Listen Line Community Services had a table at the event. The organization offers 24/7 call lines to people navigating mental health challenges, not just those thinking about suicide.
“Sometimes, all we need to do is be on the phone with someone, and they talk out their problems and solve their own problems from just talking to someone without being interrupted or being worried that they’re going to hurt the person that they’re talking to,” said Sharla Paso, director of Listen Line.
Sara McHann, owner of Shear Luck, provided free haircuts at the event. She stops by the Clark County Veterans Assistance Center monthly to give haircuts.
“(It) helps people feel better about themselves and helps make their day better,” McHann said.
The event is nearly nine months in the making and includes dozens of volunteers, Pugh said.
“We could always use people’s help,” she said. “There is always a way to volunteer, help out, and make it bigger and better.”
